With every new WSL season comes a new crop of exciting young players who can make a major impact for their respective teams over the course of the campaign. Over the years, there have been some fantastic examples, including dependable Chelsea striker Aggie Beever-Jones, Arsenal star Alessia Russo and Brighton’s pacey Japanese winger Kiko Seike.
With the 2026-27 WSL season set to get underway soon, here’s a comprehensive run-through of one young starlet to watch from each side.
Arsenal – Smilla Holmberg
Arsenal have a proud history of developing young talent through their famous Hale End academy, but their eye for exciting prospects extends beyond their own ranks. Smilla Holmberg is a great example of a young player who looks ready to have an outstanding campaign.
Holmberg signed from Swedish side Hammarby back in January and has since hit the ground running, scoring twice as Arsenal put seven past Leicester City and showcasing her goalscoring ability.
Holmberg has also made a big impact on the international stage. After progressing steadily through Sweden’s various age groups, she was called up to the senior squad for Euro 2025 and, at just 18 years old, scored her first international goal in a 4-1 win against Germany.
At just nineteen, Holmberg is set for a big future and will certainly be one to watch for Arsenal this season.
Aston Villa – Lucia Kendall
After rising through the international youth ranks and earning her first senior Lionesses cap against Australia last October, Lucia Kendall has become one of the WSL’s most talked-about young talents, and with good reason.
Kendall started her career at Southampton at the age of 16, having grown up nearby in Winchester. After progressing through their academy setup, she made an instant impact for the Saints, scoring 22 goals in 77 appearances, including a fantastic strike against rivals Portsmouth that helped Southampton win the 2021-22 National League title. After this, she scored again to help Southampton win the National League Cup Final, further highlighting her credentials.
Last season saw Kendall make the switch to the Midlands to join Aston Villa, after five years with Southampton.
This next step in her career saw Kendall go from strength to strength. She scored three important goals for Natalia Arroyo’s side, becoming a mainstay in the team and finishing the season with 18 league appearances.
Kendall has been rewarded for her league performances with regular call-ups to the national side, featuring seven times under Sarina Wiegman. Her first senior international goal came in a friendly against Ghana at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton’s home ground, making the moment even more special for Kendall.
Birmingham City – Jade Rastocle
WSL newcomers Birmingham City have made a strong statement ahead of the new campaign with their transfer business, bringing in experienced players such as former Manchester United duo Millie Turner and Lisa Naalsund. However, one new signing who could really catch the eye this season is former Montpellier defender Jade Rastocle.
Rastocle is only 22 but has already shown her quality during five years in France, representing both Reims and Montpellier. During her time with the latter, she also played alongside former Chelsea defender Maelys Mpome, who she will come up against in Birmingham City’s second game of the season when they welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to St Andrew’s.
This season marks Birmingham City’s first in the top flight since 2022. As one of the founding members of the WSL, they will be looking to make a successful return, and players like Rastocle – who became an integral part of the Montpellier squad, making 42 appearances – could play an important role.
Brighton and Hove Albion – Nadia Krezyman
Nadia Krezyman is another exciting summer signing. The prolific striker started her career in Poland with UKS SMS Lodz, scoring 15 goals in 67 appearances before making the move to Dijon.
Krezyman appeared 42 times for Dijon, scoring eight times and catching the eye of Brighton and Hove Albion. She joined the Seagulls on a free transfer in July, providing another option up front following the departures of Rosa Kafaji and Michelle Agyemang after their loan spells expired at the end of last season.
She has made 20 appearances for the Poland women’s national team, scoring three times, including in a UEFA Euro 2025 qualifier against Romania. With a plethora of experience at both club and international level and an eye for goal, Nadia Krezyman will definitely be one to watch this year.
Charlton Athletic – Grace Johnston
Australian starlet Grace Johnston will be a vital addition to Charlton Athletic’s squad as the Addicks prepare to make their WSL debut this season.
Charlton Athletic were rewarded a spot at the top of the pyramid following their promotion playoff final victory against Leicester City, which they won on penalties, after a tense goalless draw at their home ground The Valley back in May.
Johnston is a midfield dynamo who arrives from her home city of Perth, where she represented Perth Glory 39 times between 2023 and 2026.
Johnston’s resilience is to be praised. Things were cut short for her in the 2023-24 season when she suffered a syndesmosis injury, but she bounced back the following year and narrowly missed out on the A-League Women Young Player of the Season award, which went to Sydney FC’s Indiana Dos Santos.
Johnston further enhanced her experience by spending the league’s offseason with lower-league sides Preston Lions and Keilor Park, who both play in the Victorian Premier League. She has also represented Australia at youth level and was part of the Under-23 Matildas squad that won the 2025 ASEAN Women’s Championship. Johnston showcased her goalscoring ability during the tournament, scoring a powerful long-range effort in a group-stage victory over Timor-Leste.
Chelsea – Lola Brown
Chelsea’s academy in Cobham has produced some exceptional talent over the years, with first team stars like Aggie Beever-Jones coming up through the age ranks.
Recently, they offered first team contracts to academy graduates Chloe Sarwie, Vera Jones and Lola Brown. The latter has made several substitute appearances for the Blues, including in the Champions League against Celtic.
Born in Malta, the midfielder appeared for the All Stars Academy in Eastbourne, before joining the prestigious Chelsea Academy in Cobham.
She has represented England at various youth levels, appearing at several tournaments, including the 2024 Under-17 Women’s World Cup where the Lionesses finished fourth.
During the quarter-final against Japan, Brown converted her penalty in the shootout following a closely contested draw, having also scored from the spot in England’s opening group-stage match against Kenya. This year, she is set to be part of the squad for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, which gets underway in September.
Crystal Palace – Abbie Larkin
Abbie Larkin is one of Crystal Palace’s most reliable players. Two years into her time with the Eagles, she has scored nine goals in 40 appearances and, for the Dublin-born striker who has already represented her country 36 times, the future looks bright.
The last time Crystal Palace competed in the WSL was during the 2024-25 season, and they have made an immediate return after spending just one campaign in WSL2.
This time around, they will be looking to establish themselves in the division, with players like Larkin set to play an important role in their efforts to stay up.
She is a striker with an eye for goal who also offers plenty defensively. According to FotMob, Larkin registered 43 defensive contributions, 22 tackles and 72 recoveries across the recent campaign, highlighting her qualities as a well-rounded player.
Larkin spent her youth playing in Ireland, starting her career at Shelbourne before moving to Shamrock Rovers, while she also captained the Republic of Ireland Under-17 side. Last October, she made her mark at senior level by scoring a crucial goal against Belgium in the UEFA Women’s Nations League play-offs, helping Ireland secure promotion to the top tier with an aggregate victory.
Everton – Zara Kramzar
A new signing last season for the Merseyside club, Everton’s Slovenian talent Zara Kramzar has already made her mark and looks likely to have another great season. Just last month, the 20 year-old striker signed on a permanent deal following her successful short term loan spell, which also saw her emerge as one of the standouts at the World Sevens in London that took place at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium.
Kramzar showcased both her goalscoring ability and qualities as a team player during the tournament, while she also scored a late consolation goal in a defeat to Liverpool during the regular season.
She initially joined Everton from Italian side Roma, where she registered six goals in 30 appearances across two seasons. The move to the WSL presented a new challenge for Kramzar, but one she has adapted to well.
Kramzar has represented Slovenia at both youth and senior level, with a total of eight goals in 26 appearances. She is one of the most exciting young players in the WSL and has quickly become a fan favourite who will be looking to make an even bigger impact at Goodison Park this year. The women’s team will play all their home matches there following the men’s senior team moving to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Liverpool – Zara Shaw
Zara Shaw represents the red half of Merseyside with homegrown pride. The Liverpool midfielder is another young talent on this list with England experience, having progressed through the club’s academy from the age of eight until 17. Her first senior goal came in a League Cup victory against Newcastle United.
Shaw has represented England at both Under-17 and Under-19 level. She scored three goals at the 2022 Under-17 World Cup, including a penalty in the aforementioned win against Japan.
Despite her career being impacted by serious injuries – with the midfielder suffering two ACL injuries in the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons respectively – she has shown remarkable resilience to bounce back on both occasions.
After returning from her second injury, she played a key role in Liverpool’s run to the Women’s FA Cup semi-finals, scoring a late winner with just five minutes of extra time remaining to see off a resilient Charlton Athletic side. Having a player capable of making an impact in big moments is vital for any team, and Shaw could be exactly that for Liverpool.
London City Lionesses – Rofiat Imuran
London City Lionesses unearthed a gem when they signed Nigerian international Rofiat Imuran on a free transfer from Stade de Reims in 2024. The reliable defender has represented Nigeria across multiple age groups and already has World Cup experience at both youth and senior level.
Nigeria reached the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup in 2022, before reaching the Round of 16 at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Across two years in France, she scored seven goals in 27 appearances before joining London City Lionesses, where she has since featured 18 times. The club made their WSL debut last season after becoming the first independently owned side to earn promotion to the top flight in May 2025.
Imuran only played 706 minutes of football last season, but her experience and ability make her a valuable asset to both club and country.
Manchester City – Sacha Lewis
Football runs in the family for Sacha Lewis. The Manchester City youngster is the sister of defender Rico Lewis, who has become one of the Premier League’s most talked about talents.
Sacha is following in her brother’s footsteps; after spending time in the youth academy the 18 year-old signed her first professional contract with Manchester City. The club describe her on their website as:
“An exciting, dynamic full back with an impressive turn of pace.”
She has represented England at various youth levels, all the way up to the Under-20s, while also gaining experience with the Manchester City first team during their pre-season tour of Australia in 2024.
Lewis has also enjoyed individual success, winning the Next Gen Player of the Season Award in 2025-26, a testament to her hard work and development.
Manchester United – Layla Drury
Another homegrown talent, Layla Drury recently signed her first professional contract with Manchester United following a highly impressive breakthrough season.
The standout moment came in a Women’s FA Cup victory over Burnley at Old Trafford, where a 16-year-old Drury came off the bench to score and make Manchester United history, becoming the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer and breaking the record previously held by Lauren James. Former United manager Marc Skinner was full of praise for the youngster, highlighting her playing style and ability to balance pace with good decision-making.
On top of an excellent first season with the senior team, Drury also showcased her ability at the World Sevens, helping Manchester United reach the final, where they finished as runners-up following a narrow defeat to Chelsea. The young forward – who has represented England at youth level but is now committed to Wales internationally – has already shown plenty of promise and looks set for a big future.
Spurs – Araya Dennis
Araya Dennis started her career at rivals Arsenal, having been a graduate of the Hale End Academy. After a dual-registration spell with Watford, she spent a season at Southampton before joining Crystal Palace on loan for the 2024-25 campaign, gaining valuable experience along the way.
The link with Watford is a common one for the two North London clubs, with players including Michelle Agyemang and Laila Harbert having previously spent time there on dual-registration deals.
One of her biggest strengths is the ability to cover multiple positions, including dropping back into defensive roles – this is something that Dennis has done on international duty with England.
She enjoyed both individual and team success with Crystal Palace, winning the WSL2 title in 2023-24 alongside the club’s Young Player of the Season award. Dennis has also represented England at Under-17 and Under-19 level, featuring at the respective UEFA Women’s Championships in Estonia and Lithuania.
West Ham – Leila Wandeler
Swiss international Leila Wandeler has a strong chance of becoming one of West Ham’s best players in the near future.
The 20-year-old former Olympique Lyonnais striker, who won a league title with the French side in the 2024-25 season, also has plenty of international experience. Wandeler represented Switzerland from Under-16 to Under-19 level before stepping up to the senior side and representing her country at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.
Before progressing through the reserves and into the senior team at Olympique Lyonnais, she played for Swiss sides FC Corminboeuf, FC Central FR and BSC YB Frauen. Wandeler moved to London to join the Hammers in August last year and has since become a regular for the East London side, making 25 appearances across all competitions, including 19 in the WSL, while scoring twice and providing two assists in her debut season.
West Ham reached the second round of the Women’s FA Cup and the quarter-finals of the Women’s League Cup, while Wandeler was also part of their World Sevens squad, featuring for 40 minutes across the tournament.
She has hit the ground running for West Ham and this upcoming season will be an opportunity for her to build on a solid first year in English football.
