Welcome to the first edition of What We’re Hearing, The Athletic’s women’s football transfer guide to the 2026 January transfer window.
Megan Feringa and Charlotte Harpur will take you inside the market to explain the deals being worked on in this season’s winter transfer window. This includes the players who could arrive and the ones on their way out across the Women’s Super League (WSL), National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), and across Europe.
The information found within this article has been gathered according to The Athletic’s sourcing guidelines. Unless stated, our reporters have spoken to more than one person briefed on each deal before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment. Those responses, when they were given, have been included in this piece.
We aim to bring you analysis you can trust about what is happening at some of the women’s game’s leading clubs and the latest information we’re hearing from across the market.
What we’re hearing
Cat Macario is likely to stay at Chelsea for January, though she has been the subject of interest from NWSL sides.
- The 26-year-old’s Chelsea contract expires in the summer and the forward is still considering her options. It is unlikely Macario will move in the January window, but things can change. She can sign a pre-contract agreement six months before her current deal expires. Macario, who joined Chelsea on a three-year deal in 2023, was the subject of speculation when she, alongside Chelsea defender Niamh Charles, were not included in Chelsea’s matchday squad for their 5-0 WSL defeat of West Ham United. Bompastor owed the absences to “physical issues”.
- Macario was named as a substitute in Chelsea’s WSL games against Brighton before the winter break, as well as the League Cup quarter-final against Liverpool. She last made an appearance against Roma in the Champions League on Dec. 10. In October, Bompastor said Macario did not travel with the squad in their Champions League opener against FC Twente because of “inflammation around the Achilles”.
Everton have received interest in French forward Kelly Gago from Paris Saint-Germain (Kate McShane / Getty Images)
Everton are not allowing France striker Kelly Gago to move unless their £500k valuation of the striker is met, despite the 26-year-old submitting a written transfer request.
- As The Athletic reported in December, Everton have received interest in French forward Gago from Paris Saint-Germain. PSG have made a striker a priority in the January transfer window and Gago is one of the options the French club is considering. Everton’s valuation of the striker is around £500,000 ($670,000), representing a significant return for Everton, who bought the forward from Nantes for a nominal fee last January. Gago scored five goals in 12 appearances across all competitions for the club in her first six months, including four in the Women’s Super League (WSL).Her form earned her a three-year contract extension in the summer, making her Everton’s highest-paid player, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Gago is open to a move back to France for personal reasons and submitted a transfer request in December. However, Everton have maintained throughout the window that they will not permit Gago to leave in January unless their valuation is met. That sentiment has been reinforced as Brian Sorensen’s side are missing key players since the season’s restart, including forward Katja Snoeijs, who was taken off on a stretcher in Everton’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend.
- PSG have made a striker a priority in the January transfer window and Gago is one of the options the French club is considering.
Lia Walti attracted interest from WSL clubs but is likely to remain at Juventus.
- The former Arsenal midfielder attracted interest from at least two WSL clubs this January but Juventus never received a formal offer. No formal discussions were had and interest has since cooled. The 32-year-old Swiss international signed a two-year deal with the Italian club in September after seven years in north London. She is likely to remain with Juventus for the season’s remainder.
Everton have extended the contract of Japan midfielder Honoka Hayashi.
- The 27-year-old’s contract was set to expire this summer and the midfielder was a subject of interest from at least one WSL club. Sources told The Athletic that an extension has been agreed, with negotiations made a priority by Everton at the start of the season. Hayashi has started 10 of Everton’s 12 WSL matches and scored three goals, including in Everton’s 1-0 WSL defeat of Chelsea in December, which ended Chelsea’s 34-match unbeaten run in the league. Hayashi joined Everton in July 2024 from West Ham United.
Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas is one of many Barcelona players who could leave this summer (Maja Hitij / Getty Images)
Things to keep an eye on
Barcelona could face another summer exodus if ongoing contract conversations are not resolved before the summer. Contracts entering their final six months at the club include Alexia Putellas, Mapi Leon, Caroline Graham Hansen, Ona Batlle, and Salma Paralluelo. Clubs in the WSL, NWSL and around Europe are keeping a close eye on the situation.
Sweden forward Stina Blackstenius is one of many players entering the final six months of their contract with Arsenal, along with captain Kim Little, Leah Williamson, Caitlin Foord, Katie McCabe, Beth Mead, Laia Codina, Steph Catley, Victoria Pelova and Manuela Zinsberger. Conversations remain ongoing with Blackstenius, 29, who has scored six goals and provided three assists in 18 appearances across all competitions this season. At least one WSL club is considering a move for Blackstenius in the summer, though no formal contact with the player or Arsenal has been made.
McCabe has attracted interest from a number of NWSL clubs for the past 18 months. They are aware of the Ireland captain’s Arsenal contract expiring at the end of the season. Having tasted the success of Champions League triumph in the summer, McCabe wants to compete at the top level, and with the NWSL’s new High Impact Player rule coming into effect in July, that landscape is one to watch.
Arsenal’s Katie McCabe has had interest from multiple NWSL teams (David Ramos / Getty Images)
The overriding sentiment is that Arsenal want Little to stay. Talks are said to be progressing well, along with defender Williamson, which The Athletic previously reported. As for Little, a succession plan is in place for the 35-year-old, but the highly effective midfielder on the pitch offers invaluable leadership and culture-setting qualities off it.
As The Athletic reported last week, Arsenal are leading the race to sign midfielder Georgia Stanway in the summer after the England international confirmed she will leave Bayern Munich when her contract expires at the end of the season. Mariona Caldentey and Kyra Cooney-Cross have had their options triggered, keeping them at the club until 2027.
Manchester City made a big statement with the signing of USWNT midfielder Sam Coffey on a three-and-a-half-year deal for a transfer fee of around $875,000 (£651k) plus add-ons. Before the new year, they secured contract extensions for captain Alex Greenwood until 2027, Yui Hasegawa until 2029, Mary Fowler until 2027, and Rebecca Knaak until 2028.
A notable name missing is their star striker, Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, whose contract expires in six months. Discussions remain ongoing.
Shania Hayles at Newcastle United is entering the final six months of her contract. The 26-year-old striker was the club’s top goalscorer last season, scoring 15 goals and narrowly missing out on the Barclays Women’s Championship Golden Boot by just one goal, finishing second. This season, Hayles has not managed the same goalscoring heights, scoring just twice in nine WSL2 appearances. However, a change in management and system has meant much of Newcastle’s team have suffered a start-stop season, with Newcastle currently sitting fourth in the WSL2 table, level on points with Crystal Palace (19) and eight points behind leaders Charlton Athletic. The possibility of losing Hayles on a free transfer in the summer could risk being poor business for Newcastle, particularly with promotion to the WSL not guaranteed.
One of Manchester United’s biggest signings this window was adding forward Lea Schuller from Bayern Munich (Poppy Townson / Getty Images)
More insight from WSL and WSL2 Clubs
Tottenham Hotspur have made four signings this January but are exploring further options before the February 3 deadline. The club are also focusing on finalising deals for young players out of contract in the summer who fit with head coach Martin Ho’s vision for the squad.
While Chelsea have in recent history made statement signings in January, this January is likely to be quiet in terms of incomings. A number of Chelsea players are out of contract in the summer and focus will be on resolving those deals, with any big player acquisitions likely to take place in the summer. Players heading into the final months of their contract include club captain Millie Bright, Guro Reiten, Sam Kerr, Lucy Bronze, Macario, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, and Aggie Beever-Jones.
Liverpool, who have yet to register a league victory this season and sit bottom of the WSL, are set to also remain busy in the window, with potentially three more players incoming.
Manchester United are assessing the possibility of adding depth in two positions, defense and midfield, but could wait until the summer to make formal moves. They have had a busy window, announcing right-back Hanna Lundkvist and forward Lea Schuller even before the new year was in. They got their business done early. Or were they playing catch-up? Head coach Marc Skinner said after the summer window that he would have liked to have recruited two more players, one at right-back and one in the front line.
United are also working on closing a deal for the highly talented Swedish striker Ellen Wangerheim from Hammarby, and that would be a serious coup. Schuller’s and Lundkvist’s arrival means there were outgoings, too. As The Athletic previously reported, Rachel Williams has signed for Leicester, Hannah Blundell has been loaned to Everton for the remainder of the season, while Geyse completed a permanent transfer to Mexican side Club America.
Leicester City are also set to bring in at least two more players on top of the three already completed.
Numerous sources have described Newcastle United and Bristol City as “spending big money” in the January window in a bid to be one of potentially three teams to win promotion to the WSL this season. Charlton Athletic currently sit top of the WSL2 on 27 points, followed by Birmingham City and Bristol City (22), Newcastle United and Crystal Palace (19), Southampton (18), and Nottingham Forest (16). Palace secured the signing of Hayley Ladd from Everton despite the Wales midfielder having interest from Bristol City.
(Additional reporting: James Horncastle, Laia Cervelló Herrero)