Barca sets women’s transfer record

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/09/2022 (1436 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Barcelona fired a shot across the bow this week, its volley smashing the women’s football transfer record after a fourth bid for Keira Walsh was accepted by Manchester City.

Walsh, whose long pass to Ella Toone sent England on its way to a European Championship in July, joins a club expecting a fourth consecutive title and a league undergoing a revolution. Previously controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the Primera Division is now a self-administered competition styled as Liga F.

It was launched on Tuesday — just hours before Barcelona wired €461,000 to their Women’s Super League counterparts.

One of the world’s elite defensive midfielders, Walsh isn’t exactly the sort of flashy acquisition typically associated with record signings. And Barcelona, which won all 30 of its top-flight matches last term, are unlikely to be broken down with any regularity by their domestic rivals.

But the 25-year-old wasn’t brought in to deliver Liga F. The Blaugrana would have claimed it regardless.

No, Walsh is in the Catalan capital to help her new employers regain the Champions League. They were cut to ribbons by Lyon in last season’s final — a meek display that underlined their need for a steely presence in the centre of the park.

In Walsh, they have it. And Europe is on notice.

Barcelona’s new-look squad, which also includes Lucy Bronze — the Best FIFA Women’s Player for 2020 — and Brazilian scoring sensation Geyse, will kick off their campaign Sunday at Levante Las Planas (11 a.m., DAZN).

Lyon, too, will commence its title defensce Sunday when it visits Reims.

The continent’s top league according to UEFA’s coefficients, D1 Arkema is back in the hands of Les Fenottes after their astonishing run of 14 successive triumphs was ended by Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. PSG knocked them out of the Champions League that spring as well, but a year on the big trophies have been restored to the Lyonnaises cabinet.

Lyon also did PSG dirty in convincing Germany midfielder Sara Dabritz to make the switch south. The capital side, however, has had the better summer overall, bringing in midfielder Lieke Martens from Barcelona, goalkeeper Lydia Williams from Arsenal, defender Li Mengwen from Jiangsu Suning and Berglind Bjorg Thorvaldsdottir from Brann.

It’ll be the customary two-horse race in France, but the finish line will be rather more crowded in Germany and England.

Champions for a fifth time in five seasons, Wolfsburg are the latest Frauen-Bundesliga powerhouse in a competition defined by them. TSV Siegen were the first, followed by Frankfurt in the early 2000s. Then it was Turbine Potsdam with four titles on the trot, and now Wolfsburg. Although Bayern Munich have popped up now and again.

And “again” might be “now.”

Manchester City’s mass exodus included Georgia Stanway’s move to Bavaria and Martinique-born Emelyne Laurent’s transfer from Lyon. Bayern also strengthened in defence through the arrivals of Brazil international Tainara and Norway’s 6-2 centre-back Emilie Bragstad, who at 20 is already considered one of the best players at her position.

Bragstad’s arrival was necessitated by the defections of Kristin Demann and Marina Hegering to Wolfsburg, who also weakened potential challengers Eintracht Frankfurt by poaching goalkeeper Merle Frohms.

Champions League winners most recently in 2014, Wolfsburg were quarterfinalists in 2021 and semifinalists last season, and much of their attention over the next few months will be on taking another step forward in Europe. Which could conceivably present Bayern with the opening they need.

Bayern will begin its schedule Sept. 16 with a clash at Frankfurt while Wolfsburg’s Saturday match at home to Essen will be rather more straightforward.

Finally, it was on the Women’s Super League that much of this weekend’s attention was set to be focused, what with England’s recent victory at the Euros. But the country’s sport has been postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth, which is something of a shame as clubs, players and fans will be deprived of timely tributes.

Still, the WSL’s eventual kick off will come with considerable momentum. Champions Chelsea, for example, have sold out of season tickets, and the North London Derbies between Arsenal and Tottenham will establish new attendance marks. Most clubs will play at least some matches at their men’s stadiums.

On the pitch, Chelsea have strengthened at each position and should be tipped to win a fourth straight title. Canadian international Kadeisha Buchanan will go directly into the XI, and Eve Perisset’s arrival from Bordeaux will further stabilize the back line.

Arsenal finished a single point back of Chelsea last season but have been decimated by exits. Star forward Vivianne Miedema, who recently signed a new contract, demanded manager Jonas Eidevall add to the squad during the summer, but other than Lina Hurtig’s transfer from Juventus the Gunners did very little.

Manchester City, too, is much weakened, with no fewer than nine players either moving or retiring over the past few weeks. They finished third last time around, and their decline, as well as Arsenal’s, could see Spurs and Manchester United ascend to the Champions League places.

With Euro winner Nikita Parris and Canadian gold medallist Adriana Leon in the ranks, United, in particular, stand to improve considerably. They needed to add goal-scoring to seriously contend for European football, and in Parris and Leon they’ve secured it.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

The Warm-Up

Winnipeg Jets Game Days

On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.

Sign up for The Warm-Up

Sign Up

I consent to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies.

I consent to CASL agreement.

Incidentally, Spurs-United was supposed to launch the new campaign today (Sportsnet has WSL rights for Canada). Too bad it isn’t, but it says a lot that so many supporters are disappointed by having to wait.

And that’s European women’s club football in a nutshell, really.

The excitement is palpable, the enthusiasm sky-high, and another season of smashed records just ahead.

jerradpeters@gmail.com

Twitter @JerradPeters