USWNT Stars Impacting the WSL Race: Arsenal, Chelsea, City, and United

Emily Fox is not interested in picking targets. She wants the lot.

“I think you have to go for all of them,” the USWNT defender told ESPN before the new WSL season, laying out Arsenal’s stance on domestic and European trophies. “If you want to be the best, you have to go for it and be all in.”

Arsenal know how thin the margins are. One defeat in the league last season, but six draws. That wastage handed the title to Manchester City and left the Gunners stewing on what might have been. This year, every dropped point will sting even more.

The signs in preseason were encouraging. Arsenal tore through Charlton Athletic 5-1 in their final warm-up game on Wednesday, moving the ball with a sharpness that suggested the frustration of last season has hardened into focus.

Fox started on the bench but wasted no time making her mark. Introduced at right back in the second half, she immediately drove forward, forcing Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse into a save and pinning the visitors deeper and deeper.

This is what Arsenal bought. At 28, Fox is an elite one-v-one defender who can lock down a flank, then sprint 60 yards to overload in attack. That dual threat earned her a place in the PFA WSL Team of the Year and turned her into one of the most coveted full-backs in the game.

Arsenal expect her to hit that level again. Fox expects more. She has been clear: this is not a club content with a single trophy. The Gunners are coming for all of them.

Coffey’s comeback and City’s title defence

While Arsenal sharpened their edge, one of Manchester City’s key midfielders spent the end of last season on the sideline.

Sam Coffey’s injury late in City’s campaign was felt most acutely across the Atlantic. The layoff ruled her out of the USWNT’s June camp and two high-profile friendlies against Brazil in Brazil, a stretch that would have been valuable as World Cup qualifying looms.

The tone has shifted in recent weeks. Coffey’s recovery has gathered pace, and she logged 45 minutes in a preseason match against Barcelona, an important step toward full match fitness and a strong indicator that she should be ready for the WSL opener.

Last season was her first in England. After a short settling-in period, Coffey grew into the league, making 10 appearances following her January arrival. By the run-in, she had become a reliable starter and played a meaningful role as City secured their first WSL title in 10 years.

Now she returns with that title-winning experience behind her. The objectives are clear: regain rhythm, stack consistent minutes, stay healthy. With USWNT World Cup qualifying on the horizon this fall, Coffey’s club form over the next few months will carry extra weight.

City know exactly what they get when she is fit — control in midfield, security in possession, and a player who rarely looks flustered when the tempo rises. They also know how different the title race feels when she is missing.

Thompson, the new face of Chelsea’s attack

Chelsea have lived through an offseason of upheaval. Big names out, a new era taking shape. In the middle of all that churn stands one winger they already trust.

Alyssa Thompson wasted no time announcing herself in London last season. She arrived and immediately attacked defenders, running at them without hesitation, drifting into smart pockets around the box and finishing with a calm that belied her age.

Across all competitions, she scored nine goals in 32 appearances in her debut campaign, finishing as Chelsea’s second-highest scorer. Seven of those came in the WSL, where she also added three assists. Those numbers, combined with the eye test, earned her a nomination for WSL Player of the Season and a spot in the league’s Team of the Season.

Her rise with the USWNT has been just as swift. With Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson away on maternity leave, Thompson climbed the depth chart and claimed a starting role out wide. She has already produced four goals and four assists for the national team, turning promise into end product.

Now, with Chelsea reshaped and expectations unchanged, her responsibility grows. The Blues need her directness, her ability to unsettle back lines and her knack for decisive contributions in tight games. The club may be entering a new chapter, but Thompson has already written herself into the core of it.

Girma’s moment to own Chelsea’s back line

Naomi Girma has a habit of making defending look almost casual. That is the trick.

She reads danger early, steps into passing lanes before attackers see them, and positions herself so well that last-ditch tackles often become unnecessary. On the ball, she is just as assured, threading passes into feet and starting attacks from deep.

Those qualities could define Chelsea’s season if, finally, she can stay on the pitch.

So far, her time at the club has felt like a series of false starts. Injuries and restricted minutes have stopped Girma from building rhythm, understanding and trust with the rest of the back line. No one doubts her talent. Availability has been the problem.

Even last season, Chelsea had to carefully manage her workload and that of Millie Bright, while Veerle Buurman shouldered more responsibility than expected. The constant adjustments kept Girma from stringing together the kind of sustained run that turns a good defender into the automatic first name on the team sheet.

The stakes are obvious. If she can put together a stretch of uninterrupted games, the ceiling for both Girma and Chelsea is sky high as they try to rip the WSL title back from Manchester City. The same logic applies for the USWNT.

Stay healthy, stay sharp, and Girma should be a first-choice center back for the October fixtures against Spain and for World Cup qualifying. For club and country, this feels like a season that could finally belong to her.

Tullis-Joyce and the battle for No. 1

At Manchester United, Phallon Tullis-Joyce enters the new campaign with something rare for a goalkeeper: a strong résumé and no guarantees.

Last season she was a rock. The American started 21 WSL matches and kept seven clean sheets, finishing with 17 shutouts across all competitions. Those numbers underpinned United’s defensive structure and kept them competitive even when the attack misfired.

Yet the USWNT’s No. 1 shirt remains unclaimed.

For Tullis-Joyce, the next step is clear. Her shot-stopping is proven; her distribution still needs to climb another level if she is to fully convince Emma Hayes. The USWNT coach wants a goalkeeper who can act as an extra outfield player, building from the back and helping the team keep the ball under pressure.

Tullis-Joyce has made strides there, but United’s preference for a more direct style does not always showcase that side of her game. This season, she will have to demonstrate that range whenever the opportunity arises — and she will have to do it while fending off new competition.

Janina Leitzig’s arrival from Leicester City changes the dynamic. United now have genuine competition and depth in goal as they try to close the gap on the league’s elite. For Tullis-Joyce, every performance becomes a statement, not just to her club manager but to Hayes as well.

Yohannes steps into the Lyon spotlight

Across the Channel, OL Lyonnes have lost a steadying presence in midfield. The departure of captain Lindsey Heaps to Denver Summit strips away one of their most experienced and calming influences — a player who could slow the game, knit phases together and offer a constant outlet between defence and attack.

The space she leaves behind is large. Sonia Yohannes has the talent to fill a big part of it.

At 19, Yohannes already plays with the poise of someone far older. Technically, she is outstanding. She sees passes others miss, keeps the ball moving in tight spaces and rarely panics when pressed.

Her first season in Lyon underlined that potential. Yohannes scored six goals in all competitions, including two in the Champions League, and was named UEFA Women’s Champions League Revelation of the Season. She often looked at her best when paired with Heaps, feeding off the captain’s positioning and tempo.

Now she has to become more assertive on her own terms. Lyon’s midfield is stacked — Melchie Dumornay, Korbin Albert, Damaris Egurrola and Ingrid Syrstad Engen all bring different strengths — so Yohannes will not need to morph into a do-everything No. 8. But she will need to take more ownership of games, demand the ball, and dictate rhythm when the team wobbles.

Her trajectory is already pointing toward the USWNT’s 2027 Women’s World Cup squad. She is exactly the kind of midfielder who can raise a team’s level while preserving its style when she steps onto the pitch.

The question now is simple: as the new WSL season and European campaign kick off, which of these American stars will turn promise into defining influence — and who will be lifting trophies when the dust finally settles?