Women’s Super League

BARCELONA skipper Vicky Losada tearfully called time on her career with the LaLiga Women’s champs ending weeks of exit rumours. The midfielder who has been linked with a Manchester City move was speaking days after she reportedly claimed to have not had the confidence of coach Lluis Cortes.
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Losada has been linked with a summer switch to Manchester CityCredit: Getty
Vicky Losada has announced her departure from BarcelonaCredit: Rex
At a club press conference to announce her departure an emotional Losada said: “This will be my last season at the club.
“You have to know when a cycle has come to an end. 
“Everything that I have experienced as a Barca player has made me the happiest person in the world.”
The former Arsenal ace, 30, led Barcelona through one of their most successful trophy-winning seasons last term. 

The club lost just once in Spain’s top division on their way to their sixth LaLiga Women’s title and their eighth Copa de la Reina. 
And the Catalan giants made history this season winning their first-ever Champions League title after beating WSL titans Chelsea 4-0. 
Losada came on as a second-half substitute in the 71st minute in that game. 
The midfielder, who made 28 appearances for Barcelona last term, made her Barca first-team debut at the age of 16
And the player went on to win 23 trophies with the club including six LaLiga titles and seven Copa de la Reinas.
The Spain ace enjoyed four separate spells with the Catalan giants – spanning 13 years – with one-season stints at Espanyol, Western New York Flash and Arsenal in 2007, 2014 and 2015.
In a frank and revealing FourFourTwo interview Losada dropped hints that her time with the Blaugranes was coming to an end. 
And the midfielder suggested she had more years to give to the game as a player. 
Losada helped Barcelona to a domestic treble trophy win in the 2020-21 seasonCredit: Getty

Losada told FourFourTwo: “This year has been hard for me and I have not felt valued nor have I had the confidence of the coach. 
I’m in very good shape, I feel like I can still play for many years and I want to be happy playing football. 
“I’m studying my situation and my future, but I’m not going to lie to you, maybe it’s time to think about myself, my happiness and that of the people who love me.
The former WSL star’s reported admission comes amid speculation that City are leading the race to sign her.
The Barcelona-born player is said to be in advanced talks with Gareth Taylor’s side, according to Catalunya Radio host Marta Carreras.
On her radio show, Carreras said: “The captain (Losada) will leave for the English club if nothing goes wrong. The operation is very advanced”
“It will be made official in the coming days, probably this week.”
The ex-Gunners ace has positive memories of her Women’s Super League experience.
In an interview with The Times, she spoke on her appreciation of Arsenal and how much she missed playing in the WSL.
Losada said: “I love the environment, the competitiveness . . . I just love the [English] game and I miss that.
Losada has pleasant memories of her one season spell playing in the WSLCredit: Getty
“Here [at Barcelona] it is a different kind of game. I connected very well with the girls at Arsenal.
“I didn’t want to leave. I left because in my heart I had to come back home.
“But I’m actually missing the WSL, it is the best league in the world right now.”
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WATFORD will play in the Women’s Championship after being given the green light to play in the second tier in 2021-22. Hornets skipper Troy Deeney applauded the Golden Girls who were promoted along with Sunderland after a successful application. 
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Watford will compete in the Women’s Championship in the 2021-22 seasonCredit: Getty
Hornets skipper Troy Deeney congratulated the Golden Girls following their move up to the women’s game’s second tierCredit: Getty
Watford and the Lady Black Cats have made the step up to the Championship from the National League North and National League South.
Both leagues make up the third tier of women’s football in England.  
Watford were top of their division in January when their season was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic, hen football below the women’s top two flights was curtailed. 
The double promotion means the sport’s second flight will be made up of 12 teams rather than 11 next term.
And the Golden Girls’ move up has prompted ecstatic reactions from the club’s fans, players and staff. 
This includes a comical tweet shared by head coach Clint Lancaster – who received the news during at the ALTAR. 
Deeney, Ryah Vyse and Renee Hector among the other Watford aces who took to social media to express their delight 
In a post to his 162,000 Twitter followers, Deeney, 32, wrote: “Love it, ladies. Congratulations.”
Today’s Events:✅ Got Married.✅ Achieved Championship Status.Imagine the scene – standing at the altar and receiving a call to say we’ve gone up😂What. A. Day.Thank you to everyone for the lovely messages today!🐝🍾— Clint Lancaster (@ClintLancaster_) June 2, 2021

So happy that after 2 years of hard work both on and off the pitch, we have been promoted 🤩🥳Thank you to all my team mates, coaches, fans and background staff for all the support these past 2 seasons! Covid hasn’t stopped us! 🙌🏼🥰 https://t.co/ePX9jAV2ve— Ryah Vyse (@RyahVyse) June 2, 2021

Golden Girls defender Vyse, 28, tweeted: “So happy that after two years of hard work on and off the pitch, we have been promoted. 
“Thank you to all my team-mates, coaches, fans and background staff for all the support these past two seasons! Covid hasn’t stopped us!”
And Hector, who is getting back to fitness following surgery on an ACL injury posted: “Championship… we meet again. Amazing achievement by all at the club. Let’s do this!”
Clubs competing in tiers three to six of the women’s game were given the go-ahead to apply for promotion by the FA after Covid ended their seasons.
Watford Women were top of the National Women’s League South division when their season was curtailed by Covid-19Credit: Getty

Criteria assessed in applications included points per game achieved by teams, goal difference over the past two seasons, 
The structure of clubs, their workforce and the facilities were also considered by football authorities. 
Watford Women had been on course for promotion to the Championship in the 2019-20 season when that term was declared null and void in March 2020 due to the pandemic.
Watford will be joined by Sunderland Ladies following their successful bid to compete in the ChampionshipCredit: Getty
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CHELSEA’S Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr and Manchester City ace Lauren Hemp are in the running for the 2021 Women’s PFA Players’ Player award.The trio are among six Blues and City stars named as nominees for the Professional Footballers’ Association prize. 
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Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby are among the three Chelsea’s nominated for a Women’s PFA Players’ Player gongCredit: Getty
Lauren Hemp has also been nominated for efforts on Man City’s flankCredit: Getty
Other players nominated include Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger, City winger Chloe Kelly, 23, and former City midfielder Sam Mewis who has returned to US club North Carolina Courage. 
Kirby and Kerr, both 27, formed a lethal partnership in attack for Emma Hayes’ side this term.
The pair scored 37 goals in the top flight as Chelsea battled their way to a fourth Women’s Super League title. 
And the duo’s clinical link-up play in the top tier has seen their boss compare them to Manchester United treble-winning legends Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke. 
In the Blues’ goal Berger has been earning praise from pundits for some of her match-winning stops for the WSL champs. 
The Germany international, 30, who admits to being a tough critic of her performances, has kept 12 clean sheets in 17 top tier games this season. 
And Berger’s standout performances for Chelsea in Europe – including two penalty saves against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League League – have seen her shot-stopping described as world-class. 
Meanwhile, City trio Hemp, 20, Kelly and Mewis, 28, played a key role in helping Gareth Taylor’s side take the race for the WSL title to the wire. 
Hemp’s and Kelly’s impressive shifts on City’s flanks helped the team net 65 goals in the league this season. 
Standout performances include a Kelly hat-trick in City’s 8-0 FA Cup demolition of Aston Villa, a month before the winger suffered an ACL injury in May. 
Ann Katrin-Berger won praise for her domestic and European performances in goal for ChelseaCredit: Getty

And Hemp’s back-to-back goals against Arsenal and Man United helped City seal important wins against the Gunners and the Red Devils in February. 
Hemp has also been named in the PFA’s Women’s Young Player of the Year category. 
Other nominees are Man United’s Ella Toone and Lauren James, Chelsea’s Niamh Charles, former Bristol striker Ebony Salmon and City keeper Ellie Roebuck. 
Man United forward Ella Toone is one of six players in running for the PFA’s Women’s Young Player of the Year awardCredit: Rex
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WILLIE KIRK is ready to splash the cash on at least SIX new players in an effort to help Everton grab a Champions League place, according to reports. The Toffees finished fifth last season, 16 points below Arsenal who leapfrogged Man United to third and a place in the competition next term.
Kirk is ready to spend in order to help the Toffees qualify for the Champions League next seasonCredit: Getty
Kirk, who moved to Merseyside from Manchester United in 2018, is keen to lead Everton back into Europe for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
Back then the club reached the competition’s quarter-finals where they were knocked out by German side Duisburg following their 5-2 aggregate victory.
In order to achieve their Euro goal, Kirk, 42, believes Everton will have to get out the chequebook to break Chelsea’s, Man City’s and Arsenal’s top three dominance.
Kirk told the Liverpool Echo: “Inevitably there probably will have to be fees.
“Contracts are as long as they have ever been in the women’s game, so it is not as simple as letting players run down their contract and then signing them.
“Clubs work much more long-term now which means the players we are targeting are not necessarily free transfers.
“So we might have to pay a couple of fees.”
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Everton, whose squad includes the likes of England starlet Sandy MacIver and France ace Valerie Gauvin, reportedly have their eyes on some ‘big signings’.
Willie Kirk is reportedly keen on seeing Jill Scott seal a permanent move to Walton Hall ParkCredit: Alamy

And the Echo claims Man City veteran Jill Scott – who had been on loan at the Toffees – is one new additions officials wish to bring to Walton Park.
Scott, 34, who has 150 senior England caps, joined the Toffees on loan in January, made 11 appearances for the side netting two goals
And Kirk and Everton’s sporting and commercial Sarvar Ismailov hope to bring the influential midfielder to Merseyside permanently
It is thought the Lionesses ace’s experience of playing in Europe could be invaluable to the Toffees.
Kirk said: “Jill has made a huge difference since she’s come in.
“She’s fantastic to have as part of the group and she’s so infectious with her enthusiasm and energy.
“The standard of her training and performances in terms of ball retention and game management will mean she will have a long-term impact on this club.”
Everton are targeting a top three spot after finishing fifth last termCredit: PA
Kirk also has high hopes for Toffees keeper Sandy MacIver who is part of a quartet of reserve players included in Hege Riise’s Team GB squad for the Tokyo Olympics.
The England starlet has already tipped her to become one of the world’s best in the future by Kirk.
And the Cheshire-born stopper, 22, also shares her manager’s Champions League qualification dream.
This year the ambitious keeper signed a new contract with Everton which will see her remain with the club until 2023.
MacIver said: “The Champions League is where we want to be. I really believe the foundations are in place to do that.
“I don’t see why we can’t break into that top three or four in the WSL and cement ourselves as a top side in Europe.
Sandy MacIver is confident Everton can break into the WSL’s top threeCredit: Alamy
“Willie signing his new contract at the end of last year was a real statement, too, and shows his belief in where the club is going.
“Willie has made it clear of his intent with the players he’s brought in.”
“That was another big reason for me wanting to stay.”
MacIver signed a new deal in March which will see her remain with the Toffees until 2023Credit: Getty
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EMILY VAN EGMOND is rumoured to be a summer transfer target for Roma and Ligue One Women’s giant Paris Saint-Germain.ESPN claims both European clubs are interested in the former West Ham star, who is thought to be eyeing a National Women’s Soccer League return.  
PSG and Roma are rumoured to be keen on former West Ham midfielder Emily van EgmondCredit: Getty
Australia international van Egmond is thought to be eyeing a move back to the NWSLCredit: Rex
The Australia midfielder sealed a temporary move to the Irons from US club Orlando Pride at the start of the 2020-21 WSL season with former boss Matt Beard still in charge.
And the Matildas ace made her switch permanent in January following the arrival of new gaffer Olli Harder and after netting four times in 12 WSL appearances. 
However van Egmond is one of EIGHT players released by the Hammers in May. 
Others who have been let go include Martha Thomas, Laura Vetterlein, Cecelie Redisch, and France midfielder Kenza Dali who is also rumoured to be a PSG target. 
Van Egmond, 27, helped the Irons to retain their spot in the top tier after their  season-long battle to avoid the drop to the Women’s Championship 
The club, who have been under the reign of Harder since January following Beard’s departure in November 2020, secured a ninth-place finish.  
And van Egmond made 21 WSL appearances for the Hammers including a start in a crucial 5-0 win against Reading which preceded three vital draws against Everton and home and away to Aston Villa. 
Should the Matildas ace opt for a PSG switch, she will be joining a side on the verge of becoming the champions of France’s top-flight and ending Lyon’s 14-year dominance.
The Paris juggernauts are currently top of the Ligue One Women’s division and one point ahead of Lyon. 
Andif they win their final game of the season against eighth-placed Dijon, PSG will be crowned the new champions. 
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Ex-West Ham midfielder Kenza Dali is also reported to be of interest to French giants PSGCredit: Alamy

Van Egmond, who has 97 Australia caps, has been called up to the Matildas squad ahead of two international friendlies against Denmark and Sweden in June. 
Other players in the group include Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, West Ham’s Mackenzie Arnold and Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord. 
It is thought the games will be used as warm-ups before Australia’s participation in the Tokyo Olympics. 
And head coach Tony Gustavsson is due to select his squad of 18 and four reserve players to travel to Japan.
Emily van Egmond and her Australia team-mates are due to play Denmark and Sweden before the Tokyo OlympicsCredit: Getty
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