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Women's Super League 2026-27 preview: Aston Villa
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Aston Villa women finished 9th last WSL season and lost top scorer Kirsty Hanson. They signed four Scandinavian players to rebuild under Natalia Arroyo.
Background
Aston Villa's women's team had a disappointing ninth-place finish in the Women's Super League last season. Manager Natalia Arroyo is in her second season, focusing on defensive improvements and replacing key goal scorer Kirsty Hanson, who accounted for nearly 43% of Villa's goals. The club has brought in several new players, including four from Scandinavia, to strengthen the squad.
How it unfolded
- recentlyAston Villa women's team finished 9th in the WSL last season, with a leaky defense and reliance on Kirsty Hanson for goals.
- summer 2026Several players departed, including Sarah Mayling, Sabrina D'Angelo, Ebony Salmon, and Kirsty Hanson; Lucy Staniforth retired. New signings include Akane Okuma, Kamilla Melgård, Mia McAulay, Lily Murphy (loan), Mathilde Harviken, and Amalie Vangsgaard.
- Aug 2026The Guardian published a season preview predicting Villa to finish 9th again, highlighting defensive issues and the need to replace Hanson's output.
Who’s saying what
- Manager
- Natalia Arroyo said: 'You can feel that we are building an honest team, a hard-working team, players that are committed to the idea, they understand that we are facing an important year for us.'
- Analysts
- Guardian writers predict a 9th-place finish, noting the team's potential but questioning defensive solidity and goal-scoring without Hanson.
- Public
- Yahoo Sports noted the notable influx of Scandinavian players, with one new signing saying it's a good sign they all chose Villa as an attractive club.