The 6 most improved WSL players in 2023/24 | OneFootball

The 2023/24 WSL season saw plenty of young stars rise to new levels, as well as a number of more experienced and established players reignite their careers.

Chelsea were crowned WSL champions for a fifth consecutive campaign as Manchester City narrowly missed out. Liverpool clinched a well earned top four finish at Manchester United's expense and Bristol City were the team to suffer the drop after just one season back in the top flight.

City's Khadija Shaw secured the golden boot while teammate Lauren Hemp claimed the most assists.

Major accolades aside, 90min takes a look at the six most improved players in the WSL last term.

Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)

Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has enjoyed a steady rise following spells at Birmingham City and Aston Villa. She was part of the England squad that won Euro 2022, but in the year that followed, she suddenly lost her spot in the Lionesses setup.

Hampton joined WSL champions Chelsea in the summer of 2023. It was a move that didn't entirely make sense given the level of competition for places at the London club.

However, after a slow start, she soon made headway in the tussle for the number one shirt with Zecira Musovic. Hampton eventually started both legs of the Women's Champions League semi-finals against Barcelona and forced her way back into the England fold in the process.

Khiara Keating (Man City)

Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Another goalkeeper to make remarkable progress this past season is 19-year-old Khiara Keating. After spending the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan in the Championship, she quickly became Manchester City's first choice, inspite of her age.

The youngster played a significant role in City's title challengin and even earned her first senior England call-up. At the end of the season, she became the youngest Golden Glove winner in WSL history with nine clean sheets across the campaign.

Laura Blindkilde Brown (Man City)

Laura Blindkilde Brown joined Manchester City from Aston Villa in January / James Baylis - AMA/GettyImages

20-year-old Laura Blindkilde Brown was fast establishing herself as one of Aston Villa's key players during the season. After increasing her game time in 2022/23, last term was somewhat of a breakout campaign for the young midfielder.

Her Villa form made her the suitable choice to replace the injured Jill Roord at Manchester City in January. After completing the move up north in the winter transfer window, she helped keep the team's title hopes alive as they pushed eventual champions Chelsea until the final day.

Grace Clinton (Tottenham, on loan from Man Utd)

Grace Clinton in action from Tottenham / Richard Heathcote/GettyImages

Over the course of 2023/24, midfielder Grace Clinton truly proved herself to be one of England's brightest up and coming talents. She has still never made an appearance for Manchester United, but it was clear after half a season on loan at Bristol City in 2023, the youngster needed a WSL test.

The former Everton talent joined Tottenham Hotspur on loan last summer and quickly became one of their most integral players under Robert Vilahamn's resurgent leadership. So much so, her absence was sorely felt in the FA Cup final defeat in May when she couldn't face her parent club.

Now also an senior England international, scoring on her debut in February, Clinton is understandably wanted permanently by Spurs but United are unsurprisingly set to keep her for themselves.

Martha Thomas celebrates after scoring for Tottenham / Paul Harding/GettyImages

Another player that struggled to stake her claim at Manchester United is forward Martha Thomas. The Scotland international spent two years at Leigh Sports Village without being able to shake off a substitute tag, before completing a permanent move away last summer.

Under Robert Vilahamn's leadership at Spurs, Thomas quickly found her feet and scored six times in her first four WSL appearances for the club. That eventually became ten goals in 27 games across all competitions, including winners against Arsenal and in the FA Cup semi-final.

Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)

Chelsea's Aggie Beever-Jones / Matt McNulty/GettyImages

Aggie Beever-Jones was among the WSL's brightest talents throughout 2023/24. After highly promising loan spells at Bristol City and Everton in the previous two seasons, the forward finally forced her way into Chelsea's first-team in 2023/24

In the midst of an injury crisis that saw chief goal threat Sam Kerr and summer signing Mia Fishel both sidelined, Beever-Jones' grabbed her opportunity with both hands, with 11 goals and two assists in the league alone helping Chelsea to their fifth consecutive title.