Lauren James, Khadija Shaw and GOAL's top 15 WSL players of the 2023-24 season - ranked

That Hannah Hampton only assumed control of goalkeeping duties at Chelsea in mid-December but still makes this list is telling of the high level she performed at from that point. The England international had to wait for that club debut after joining from Aston Villa in the summer, but as the old saying goes, patience is a virtue, and she reaped the rewards.

No one kept more clean sheets than Hampton after her debut, a feat made all the more impressive by the ever-changing cast in Chelsea's defence due to injuries. Of goalkeepers who made more than five appearances in that time, Man City's Khiara Keating was the only one to boast a higher save percentage, too.

Had Hampton played more games this past season, she’d certainly be higher up this list, but to sneak in from half a year’s work is impressive enough.

It's been an up-and-down season in the WSL for Arsenal, who have pulled off some fantastic individual results against the big teams around them, beating all of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United, but struggled for consistency across the whole campaign on their way to another third-placed finish. That lack of consistency certainly doesn't apply to their best player this season though - Lotte Wubben-Moy.

In the absence of Leah Williamson, and with Amanda Ilestedt missing due to her pregnancy, Wubben-Moy has been a rock in the heart of defence for the Gunners and brought stability to the table when they've needed it. So often when a centre-back partner has needed that calming presence alongside them, she has been that.

"I think she's really developed this season in almost all aspects of her game," head coach Jonas Eidevall said. "She's improved her playing position. She's improved her duels. She's improved her leadership on the pitch." It's not gone unnoticed by England boss Sarina Wiegman either, who has given the 25-year-old more opportunities with the Lionesses in recent months.

Man City fans could breathe a sigh of relief when, amid rumours of interest from Barcelona, the club announced last month that Lauren Hemp had signed a new three-year contract. “I want to take my game to the next level and I feel like I’m capable of doing that here,” she said, towards the end of a season in which she has indeed shown new dimensions to her already exhilarating game.

Hemp has never registered more direct goal involvements in a WSL campaign than this past year, her 11 goals and eight assists helping City maintain a title challenge to the final day. She played her part on both sides of the ball, too, with few wingers in the game possessing as much defensive discipline and desire as the 23-year-old.

Another summer signing who came up big for Chelsea this season was Sjoeke Nusken – and she did so in no fewer than five different positions. Whether alternating between holding, box-to-box and attacking midfield roles, filling in at centre-back or operating in a false nine role, the Germany international was remarkably consistent despite the demands on her being otherwise.

Though largely seen as a defensive player on her arrival in London, Nusken showcased her footballing IQ with her movement in the final third and those slightly surprising attacking instincts saw her end the WSL season with eight goals and three assists, making her one of five Chelsea players to hit double figures for direct goal involvements.

Regular game time finally allowed Grace Clinton to have her highly anticipated breakthrough season this year, the forward thriving on loan at Tottenham from Manchester United, so much so that her England breakthrough also came as a result.

Spurs head coach Robert Vilahamn’s fluid attacking approach certainly suited the 21-year-old, who ended the campaign as her team’s most creative player and with more completed dribbles than any other player in the WSL – which is certainly a sign of her exciting and direct style, and an impressive stat in a division with players like Hemp and Lauren James.

It's no wonder Vilahamn has expressed a desire to buy Clinton in the upcoming transfer window, though United will already be planning on how to help her continue her superb form in their colours.

This season was another exciting step in the right direction for James, who showed further progress towards fulfilling her almighty potential. Her second full campaign at Chelsea saw her asked to step up even more due to injuries to key players in attack and she obliged, finishing as the Blues’ top-scorer in the WSL and second overall across the division.

There were some incredible highs across the campaign, including hat-tricks against Liverpool and Manchester United, and some impressive adaptation on show, too, with her utilised as a false nine at times and still finding ways to be a menace.

At 22 years old, James still has so much room for improvement, and yet she continues to be one of the sport’s most captivating talents. It’s exciting for anyone who loves the game.

Man City’s stubborn defence formed the platform of their title challenge and Laia Aleixandri was one of its key pillars, thriving consistently despite her role at the back changing regularly. The 23-year-old played on the right, the left and in the centre of defence this season and she was excellent, bringing composure and reliability to the table every time.

Aleixandri’s ability in possession was a huge asset in particular, especially for City’s style, but her reading of the game and calmness at the back allowed her to mop up any danger on a regular basis, too. ‘Underrated’ is a word thrown around a lot today, but it certainly doesn’t feel like the Spaniard got the praise she deserved for such a fantastic campaign.

Aleixandri spent most of the past season forming a brilliant partnership with Alex Greenwood in the heart of City's defence. and the England star sits just a shade ahead of her club-mate in these rankings, owing to just how central she was to her team in possession.

Greenwood is almost the quarterback in this team, her outstanding vision and passing range able to put the Cityzens on the attack in an instant, but she also knows when to slow a game down and dictate her team into doing so.

Throw in her ability to spot danger building early, and thus deal with it well, and excellent set-piece deliveries, and Greenwood really is one of the best centre-backs in the game – a reputation she has upheld throughout this year.

It was tough for Chelsea on the injury front this season, making their WSL title triumph all the more impressive. The same can be said of Jess Carter’s performances, as they came in a defence that had to chop and change plenty due to absentees.

With skipper Millie Bright missing most of the campaign, Carter had to step up as the leader in the heart of defence and she did that brilliantly, providing a calm and reliable presence alongside her many centre-back partners. She did that both overtly and simply by leading by example, regularly popping up with a vital intervention in the crucial moment to keep opponents at bay.

Liverpool made one of the signings of the summer last year when they brought Marie-Therese Hobinger to the club and her contributions in midfield played a key role in helping the Reds secure a brilliant fourth-placed finish.

Hobinger added real creativity to a team that laid great foundations on their return to the WSL last term and made them one of the most dangerous teams in the league from set-pieces thank to her consistently precise deliveries.

But the Austrian didn’t shy away from her defensive duties either, always working hard on the other side of the ball to make her an asset in and out of possession.

One of the stories of the season was the breakthrough of Khiara Keating, who earned the right to be Man City’s first-choice goalkeeper at just 19 years old. There was no better goalkeeper in the WSL across this past campaign, either.

Keating has all the traits to be a world-beater, her superb reflexes and confidence in the air complemented by excellent distribution and supreme composure. The teenager has shown real resilience this year too, bouncing back brilliantly from mistakes, the type which will always come given how City ask their goalkeepers to play.

It’s going to be extremely exciting to watch her grow and develop as she looks to build on a truly special season.

There are not too many players in the sport who are better at being the disruptive, interception machine that Yui Hasegawa is at the base of Man City’s midfield, and that’s even bigger praise considering she joined the club two years ago as an attacking playmaker. The Japan international did her job brilliantly this term, with no player in the WSL winning possession more often.

What Hasegawa does with the ball when she gets it back is hugely important too, as her ability in possession helps City get right back on the front foot. Reliable and so often error-free, she protected the defence so well while simultaneously being an asset further forward.

Chelsea’s squad is littered with huge stars, but you could argue that their best, most consistent player this season was Erin Cuthbert, who is still yet to receive the praise she deserves for her performances in midfield.

The Scotland international battles brilliantly in the middle of the park to help her team regain control of games and she’s capable of both sitting deep to dictate play or pushing further forward and creating chances.

That Chelsea boss Emma Hayes regularly entrusted her with the captain’s armband this season in Bright’s absence said a lot of the potential she has as a leader too, a role she developed in brilliantly in a title-winning campaign.

For Elisabeth Terland to have scored 13 WSL goals in a Brighton team that managed just 26 across the season as a whole is a feat that should not be overlooked or downplayed. The Norwegian didn’t have much service this term, but she did plenty with the ball when she got it, outperforming her expected goals by more than four in the process.

That she is out of contract this summer will be of concern for the Seagulls, as plenty of clubs are sure to have taken notice of her ability to thrive in a struggling side, especially given the variety of goals she scored this past year. This is a player who, at 22 years old, has an extremely bright future.

What more is there to say about Khadija Shaw that hasn’t already been said? The striker netted 21 goals in just 18 appearances in the league this year and spearheaded Man City’s title challenge with her consistency, not just because of her goals but her contributions in all areas.

Shaw is a goal-getting forward but she’s also a real asset for the Cityzens when they are defending set-pieces, pressing from the front and generally looking to create chances. Her absence in the final three games of the season only highlighted her importance to the team even further, especially in the defeat to Arsenal when City lacked the cutting edge in the final third to put the game to bed.

The Manchester side might have fallen short this term, but Shaw will be itching to put that right next season, as individual accolades will certainly not satisfy a team player like herself.