WSL predictions 2024-25: Can anyone stop Chelsea?

The Women's Super League returns this play and Chelsea are aiming to triumph a sixth title successful a statement - but tin anyone extremity them?

New head Sonia Bompastor is hoping to prime up her first WSL title but Manchester City, who mislaid retired connected extremity quality past season, will want revenge.

With Crystal Palace joining nan apical formation and others spending large money successful nan summertime transportation window, it promises to beryllium different rollercoaster campaign.

Some of BBC Sport's pundits person predicted their apical 3 for nan 2024-25 campaign, on pinch who they deliberation will beryllium relegated, while Emma Sanders tries to foretell wherever each squad will decorativeness this season.

Gareth Taylor's broadside missed retired connected nan title past play because they scored 7 goals less than Chelsea.

They responded by making immoderate beardown additions successful nan summertime transportation window.

Vivianne Miedema and Aoba Fujino springiness them much extent successful onslaught and nine grounds signing Jill Roord is group to return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

They person sewage amended successful nan past 18 months and I deliberation their consistency, pinch added depth, will yet return them complete nan statement this time.

Last season: 2nd

Chelsea person won 5 titles successful a statement for a logic - they person world-class players. That has not changed and they will still beryllium correct up there.

Former Lyon head Bompastor has a way grounds of winning trophies, but person rivals City managed to drawback them up?

The French female will person to settee quickly and, though they person signed immoderate bully players successful nan transportation window, City's consistency mightiness make nan difference.

Last season: Champions

Arsenal request to drawback up connected nan apical 2 and they person made possibly nan champion signing of nan summertime successful Barcelona guardant Mariona Caldentey.

It could return them closer, but while nan Gunners person strengthened, truthful person Chelsea and Manchester City.

Manager Jonas Eidevall is heading into his 4th play successful complaint and they person not progressed arsenic overmuch arsenic hoped.

I deliberation they will autumn short again.

Last season: 3rd

It's been a turbulent summertime for United, who faced backlash for switching their women's team's training facilities.

They person mislaid respective cardinal players including past season's apical scorer Nikita Parris, their number 1 goalkeeper Mary Earps and skipper Katie Zelem.

But they person besides recruited well.

Elisabeth Terland, Celin Bizet and Dominique Janssen are peculiarly beardown signings and, I think, will thief them climb backmost to 4th successful nan table.

Last season: 5th

Villa were 1 of nan biggest spenders successful nan summer, backing caller head Robert de Pauw and emphasising their ambitions to break into nan apical four.

Club grounds signing and Brazil guardant Gabi Nunes is an breathtaking summation - and they person had a bully pre-season campaign, going unbeaten.

They look stiff title from nan clubs astir them but I deliberation they tin beryllium nan 'best of nan rest'. I don't spot them breaking into nan apical four, though.

Last season: 7th

Matt Beard's broadside exceeded expectations past season, signaling immense wins complete nan apical clubs and pipping United to 4th place.

They will stay reliable to hit and Beard is simply a shrewd manager, who knows really to get results.

But aft making large strides, they had a quiet summertime successful nan transportation window. Their consistency will thief but others mightiness person overtaken them.

Last season: 4th

Another nine who showed large ambition successful nan transportation window. Like Villa, Brighton were consenting to walk and reaped nan benefits.

England's Fran Kirby and Jelena Cankovic were bully additions, while Parris' presence connected transportation deadline time was a existent coup.

They person mislaid past season's apical scorer Terland but those attacking additions will thief capable that void.

The main point holding them backmost is perpetually having to woody pinch change. Once again, location was a precocious turnover of players and a caller head hired.

I expect them to amended but they request time.

Last season: 9th

Spurs had a awesome first play nether head Robert Vilahamn but were acold excessively susceptible successful immoderate matches.

They showed tons of imaginable but 2 cardinal players are not pinch them anymore - Bizet and on-loan midfielder Grace Clinton.

They tried to switch them successful nan transportation model but person they strengthened capable elsewhere?

I'm not convinced. Other clubs astir them person much depth.

Last season: 6th

By each accounts, Leicester City person looked very awesome successful pre-season truthful possibly this prediction is excessively low.

But having not vanished supra 10th successful nan WSL, I haven't made immoderate chaotic assumptions.

New French head Amandine Miquel is allowing them to play free-flowing shot truthful they will beryllium vulnerable - but their squad is still young and mightiness request much clip to fulfil their potential.

Last season: 10th

It could beryllium different tricky play for Everton, who person been cash-strapped for respective windows and are struggling to support up pinch others.

Last play they faced an wounded situation and did remarkably good truthful you tin ne'er constitute them off.

I don't deliberation they person to interest astir relegation but nan spot successful extent astatine different clubs mightiness beryllium excessively much.

Last season: 8th

As Bristol City showed past season, nan jump from nan Women's Championship to nan WSL is still huge.

Crystal Palace will apt struggle but they had a engaged transportation model which gives them immoderate hope.

American striker Katie Stengel performed good astatine Liverpool and defender Katrine Veje has brought acquisition from Everton.

Their transportation business could beryllium capable to thief them decorativeness supra West Ham.

Last season: Women's Championship winners

It's been a unsmooth fewer years for West Ham and they person stayed successful nan WSL by nan tegument of their teeth.

This could yet beryllium nan play they succumb to relegation aft different difficult transportation window.

Several cardinal players near including captains Mackenzie Arnold and Hawa Cissoko, arsenic good arsenic Japan internationals Honoka Hayashi and Risa Shimizu.

It's going to beryllium a agelong run for them.

Last season: 11th