Free Agent Frenzy: Shaw, Kerr and the Other WSL Stars Preparing for New Chapters | OneFootball

This summer could see some of the biggest names in the Women’s Super League move on to pastures new. We look at some of those players whose contracts expire this summer and will potentially be looking for new clubs.

Another enthralling WSL season is almost in the bank.

Most of the key storylines are already settled going into the final weekend.

Arsenal and Chelsea are sure of their place in Europe next season, but it remains to be seen which of them finishes second behind Manchester City, who have wrapped up the title.

The Opta supercomputer makes Arsenal, who have an extra game to play, the favourites to finish as runners-up, at 82%. Chelsea’s chances of finishing second are down at 18%.

It’s less competitive in the Golden Boot race, which has also long appeared to be tied up, with the supreme Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw on 19 goals, seven clear of next-best Kirsty Hanson (12).

There’s still a major talking point, though, as Shaw could match or surpass the WSL single-season goals record of 22, a haul managed by Vivianne Miedema (2017-18) and Rachel Daly (2022-23), though it would take some going in Man City’s final fixture, which is against a West Ham team with nothing but pride to play for.

However, that fixture is set to be Shaw’s final league game in a City shirt, with the Jamaican headlining a host of star WSL names whose contracts expire this summer.

Here, we delve into the best Opta insights around those potential free agents.

Bunny Shaw

As things stand, Shaw has just two games remaining in a City shirt. After facing West Ham, her focus will switch to the FA Cup final against Brighton & Hove Albion, which is set for 31 May.

Signed in 2021 from Bordeaux, Shaw has been a WSL revelation, scoring 81 goals – an astonishing 27 more than next-best Alessia Russo (54) in that timeframe.

Shaw’s minutes-per-goal ratio of 84.4 betters any other WSL player to have netted more than once in the competition since the Jamaican made her debut in September 2021.

The 29-year-old has outperformed her 63.2 expected goals (xG) by a whopping 17.8, while also providing 18 assists.

In WSL history, only Miedema (138), Beth Mead (126), Bethany England (114), Fran Kirby (110) and Nikita Parris (110) have more goal involvements than Shaw’s 99.

And they all played more matches to reach those totals, with Shaw’s average of 1.1 goal involvements per game higher than any of the five players to hit the 100 milestone in the WSL.

Shaw has averaged 1.07 goals per 90 in the WSL. Of players to feature for 1,000+ minutes in the competition, Sam Kerr (0.94 goals per 90) is the only one who can get close to that mark.

And Shaw remains as potent as ever. This season, Shaw leads the WSL for open-play shot-ending sequence involvements (131) and ranks joint-second, along with Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey, for open-play goal-ending sequence involvements (19), behind only Russo (20).

Suffice to say, Shaw will be a huge miss for City, and if top-flight rivals Chelsea are the ones to secure her signature, then they will surely be title favourites next season.

Sam Kerr

If Shaw is to sign for Chelsea, would that open the door for Sam Kerr’s departure?

Kerr was a groundbreaking arrival in the WSL when she joined Chelsea in 2020, with the Australia international having starred in North America.

She has lived up to the billing, sitting seventh in the all-time WSL record books for goals, with 64 in 92 appearances.

Kerr recently became Chelsea’s record WSL goalscorer, and she would have surely had an even better haul had she not spent so much time out due to an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury she sustained in January 2024.

Of the leading 10 goalscorers in WSL history, Kerr has the second-best minutes-per-goal ratio (95.5), only behind Shaw.

Kerr has comfortably outperformed her 50.8 xG, with the 32-year-old netting six times in 17 WSL appearances this term, at a rate of 99.3 minutes per goal. Her best scoring season in the division came in 2020-21, when she struck 21 times.

She has still been involved in an impressive 6.6 open-play shot-ending sequences per 90 this season, which ranks third for Chelsea (behind Lauren James on 10.4, and Sjoeke Nüsken on 6.8).

Beth Mead

Arsenal confirmed this week that Beth Mead is leaving the club after eight glittering years as a Gunner.

The England international has played a crucial role in a Women’s Champions League triumph, a WSL title win and three League Cup successes.

Mead’s minutes have been more limited this year, with 11 of her 27 WSL appearances coming as a substitute, though she has netted five top-flight goals.

She has scored a superb 72 WSL goals overall, but her game is about so much more than that.

Mead is the leading chance creator in the history of the competition and has laid on 389 opportunities for her teammates, 59 more than next-best Jordan Nobbs (330).

It is no surprise, then, that Mead is also right at the top of the charts for assists (54), seven more than Lauren Hemp (47), who ranks second.

Mead’s creativity and ability in front of goal will make her a prized pick up this summer.

There is speculation that Man City could fill the Shaw void by signing her, while a move to London City Lionesses has also been mooted.

Katie McCabe

Third on the all-time list for WSL assists is Katie McCabe (43).

McCabe is an Arsenal stalwart, having joined the Gunners from Shelbourne back in 2015.

Since a spell on loan at Glasgow City in 2017, the Republic of Ireland international has been a regular in the league for the Gunners, playing over 1,000 minutes in each season from 2018-19 onwards.

There is speculation Arsenal are weighing up offering McCabe a new deal. The 30-year-old remains highly important, playing 19 times in the league this term, creating 19 chances and registering three goal involvements (one goal, two assists).

She could reasonably have hoped to achieve even better statistics than that, as she has recorded 3.5 expected assists (xA).

McCabe teed up five league goals last season, creating 51 chances, more than any other player, so even if she has not been at the peak of her powers in 2025-26, she is still more than capable of plating a vital role for a top team. If Arsenal do choose to let her go, there’s no doubt McCabe will have plenty of offers.

Since the start of last season, McCabe has crafted 70 opportunities – 28 more than any other defender in the WSL in that time. Her 8.9 xA since the start of the 2024-25 campaign ranks behind only two players in the competition: Hemp (11.6) and Caldentey (11.0).

Hannah Hampton

Hannah Hampton is arguably the world’s best goalkeeper, but she’s set to be available on a free transfer.

The England number one – the winner of the Yashin Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony following her key role in the Lionesses’ Euros success last year – was the WSL Golden Glove joint-winner in 2024-25, alongside Man Utd’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce (13).

Hampton is joint-top of the clean sheet charts this term, too, along with Tullis-Joyce and Ayaka Yamashita, albeit with fewer shutouts this season (seven).

Hampton operates behind one of the league’s stingiest defences, with Chelsea shipping only 20 goals this season.

But she has still made 49 saves, which ranks seventh in the division, while her 73.9% save rate is the fourth best.

Since Hampton made her Blues debut in December 2023, she has kept 26 WSL clean sheets – six more than any other goalkeeper in that time.

Excluding own goals, Hampton has conceded 34 times from 38.8 expected goals on target conceded. She’s therefore prevented 4.8 goals, the seventh-most in the division in this timeframe.

Hampton’s 76.3% save ratio ranks third in the WSL since her Chelsea debut, just marginally behind Tullis-Joyce (76.6%) and Anneke Borbe (77.8%).

And at just 25, Hampton has her best years ahead of her, so Chelsea will surely be desperate to tie her down to a new deal.

Lucy Bronze

Another Chelsea star who could be on the move is experienced full-back Lucy Bronze.

She was signed by Chelsea in 2024 to add more title-winning grit to their defence, and the former Barcelona full-back delivered in that invincible season in 2024-25.

Bronze is a force at both ends of the pitch. Her tally of 32 chances created since she joined Chelsea is bettered by only five defenders in the WSL.

The 34-year-old has scored two goals and provided three assists, making 32 appearances and 25 starts.

Only Ashleigh Neville (75) has made more interceptions than Bronze (64) in the same time, while Bronze ranks seventh among WSL defenders since the start of last season for duels won (147).

As an experienced option on the free agent market, Bronze will surely be able to have her pick of suiters, both at home and abroad.

However, given Chelsea are already saying goodbye to the retiring Millie Bright, will Sonia Bompastor really want to lose another of her trusted lieutenants?

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