UNDER PRÊCHEUR – Jocelyn for a Top Spot

Every time this London City Lionesses preview was almost finished, they brought in another player (or two). Which sums up their summer, feels Helen M Jerome.

Head Coach: Jocelyn Prêcheur came from PSG and took LCL up from the Championship on the final day of the season. Now Prêcheur will be under pressure from owner Michele Kang to get to the top of the WSL asap. Or else.

New signings: Daniëlle van de Donk; Nikita Parris; Elena Linari; Jana Fernandez; Elene Lete; Paula Partido (straight out on loan to Dux Logroño); Sophia Poor (straight out on loan to Forest); Isa Kardinaal; Sanni Franssi; Poppy Pattinson; Alanna Kennedy; Katie Zelem; Teyah Goldie and Freya Godfrey (their loans from Arsenal become permanent signings); Wassa Sangaré loaned from sister club Lyonnes, Lucia Corrales; Grace Geyoro.

Outlook: Well over a dozen players in and just under same number out shows that Kang isn’t hanging onto those who got them promoted – with a few exceptions. And the big names coming in clearly illustrate that she means business. They won’t be satisfied with merely staying up in the WSL, but have way bigger ambitions.

Among so many names, maybe a couple stand out as coveted by multiple clubs. Elena Linari arrives on the back of a sequence of extraordinary Euros performances for Italy. And Jana Fernandez and Lucia Corrales come straight from the Barcelona fire sale. The definition of game-changers all three.

Asllani is captain for now, but it’s hard not to think that previous Man United skipper Zelem, with her years of WSL experience, is Kang’s intended leader. Unless it’s Grace Geyoro, who is reunited with her PSG head coach, Prêcheur. Similarly, will young goalscorer Isobel Goodwin get a look-in now they’ve signed Nikita Parris?

Prêcheur has admitted that transfers aren’t part of his job description, so it will be interesting to see how he juggles such a diverse set of players into a starting XI. As for the style they’ll play, I’m guessing they’ll start pretty direct as they settle into the league. And if anything goes wrong, they’ll grab even more players in January.

Will finish: mid-table (it’s not as easy as it looks)