The Women’s Super League season comes to a conclusion on Saturday with the final round of fixtures.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some memorable moments from the 2024-25 campaign.
Chelsea make Girma world-record signing
It's official. ✍️
Naomi Girma plays for Chelsea Football Club. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/hb7OMyhE06
— (C)helsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 26, 2025
As Chelsea made an impressively smooth transition from the management of Emma Hayes to Sonia Bompastor – sweeping to a sixth successive title in their first season under the Frenchwoman – some statement signings only strengthened their position as the WSL’s number one team.
After Lucy Bronze arrived from Barcelona in the summer, fellow England star Keira Walsh followed in January, and that window also saw the Blues break the world transfer record when they brought in United States defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave – the fee a reported £900,000 that would make Girma the first million-dollar signing in the women’s game.
Friday’s briefing: Man Utd and Tottenham book Europa League final dateFormer Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen to retire at end of season
Meanwhile, another high-profile switch in January was Bronze and Walsh’s international colleague Chloe Kelly joining Arsenal on loan after publicly expressing her unhappiness at Manchester City.
Eidevall quits
Club statement: Jonas Eidevall
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) October 15, 2024
An early surprise in the season was Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall’s resignation in October, ending a tenure that had lasted just over three years during which the Gunners finished as WSL runners-up in 2022, reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2023 and won the League Cup twice.
The Swede quit after the Gunners, in the space of a week, had been held 0-0 by Everton then beaten 2-1 by Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, either side of losing 5-2 at Bayern Munich in their opening Champions League group match. While Renee Slegers, who was his assistant, has subsequently led an impressive revival, Eidevall returned to management at San Diego Wave in January, a couple of weeks before Girma’s sale.
Manchester derby drama
Ella Toone scored a hat-trick in Manchester United’s 4-2 win at Manchester City
Ella Toone scored a hat-trick in Manchester United’s 4-2 win at Manchester City(Richard Sellers/PA)
January’s clash between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium gave an illustration of their differing seasons as the visitors went 3-0 up in the first half en route to thumping their derby rivals 4-2, with Ella Toone scoring a hat-trick against her old side.
What was only United’s second derby victory in 10 WSL meetings, and first away, resulted in the teams swapping places in the table with Marc Skinner’s side going third. United would end up securing a Champions League spot with last weekend’s 2-2 derby draw at Old Trafford that also ended hopes of doing so for City, whose injury-hit campaign has been overseen since early March by interim boss Nick Cushing after the sacking of Gareth Taylor.
Brighton stun Gunners
Fran Kirby (left) opened the scoring in Brighton’s win over Arsenal with a wonderful curling finish
Fran Kirby (left) opened the scoring in Brighton’s win over Arsenal with a wonderful curling finish(John Walton/PA)
Heading into the final round of fixtures, the ‘best of the rest’ spot of fifth is occupied by Brighton, who have produced some eye-catching results under Dario Vidosic following his appointment as boss last summer.
They include draws with United (1-1) and Chelsea (2-2), and Monday’s 4-2 victory over Arsenal, featuring superb strikes from Fran Kirby and Jelena Cankovic, which left the Seagulls on course for their best-ever WSL finish.
Martinez quadruple
Shekiera Martinez.
No further words are needed. 🔥@westhamwomen #BarclaysWSL pic.twitter.com/0nlTNaWjTl
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) April 27, 2025
As well as sealing Crystal Palace’s relegation from the WSL in emphatic style, West Ham’s 7-1 triumph at the VBS Community Stadium on April 27 was also a special moment for Shekiera Martinez.
Netting four times, German forward Martinez – scorer of 10 goals in as many league starts after making her debut for the team in January – became the first Hammers player, and only the sixth player in the competition’s history, to do so in a WSL match.