Manchester United Women have appointed Eva Olid as their new head coach, replacing Marc Skinner after his five-year tenure ended in August 2026. The Catalan coach, who previously led Hearts in the Scottish Women's Premier League, takes charge of a squad undergoing significant change as the club looks to rebuild after finishing bottom of the WSL for minutes given to under-21 players last season. The Athletic reports that United signed six players permanently in the summer window, including Melvine Malard, Andrea Medina, Janina Leitzig, Monica Jusu Bah and Rebeca Bernal, while promoting three teenagers to professional contracts: Layla Drury, Jess Anderson and Scarlett Hill. nytimes.com first reported the story.
What the Eva Olid appointment means for Manchester United Women
Olid inherits a squad reshaped by new ownership and a changed league structure. The Women's Super League has expanded from 12 to 14 teams, with automatic promotion for WSL2 champions and automatic relegation for the bottom WSL team. The Red Devils will face London City Lionesses in the season opener on Friday at 7pm UK time, a fixture made more intriguing by the Scottish club's capture of two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas.
How Manchester United Women's summer business compares to rivals
Manchester City secured a first WSL trophy in a decade to end Chelsea's six-season title run, while Arsenal and City qualified directly for the Champions League league phase. Third-placed Chelsea earned European football by beating Real Sociedad 6-2 on aggregate in the final qualification round. Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw won the Golden Boot with 21 goals in 22 matches, becoming the first player to notch three 20-goal seasons. United's recruitment strategy contrasts with the title challengers, focusing on youth promotion and permanent signings rather than established internationals.
Where the new signings fit in the Manchester United Women setup
The six permanent arrivals bring fresh options to Olid's system. Melvine Malard joins from Chelsea, while Andrea Medina, Janina Leitzig, Monica Jusu Bah and Rebeca Bernal provide depth in attack and defence. Goalkeeping options include the promoted youngsters alongside experienced options, with the club ranked bottom of the WSL for minutes given to under-21 players last season. The promotion of Layla Drury, Jess Anderson and Scarlett Hill to professional contracts signals a long-term commitment to academy development.
What the new WSL format means for Manchester United's season
The expanded league format introduces a promotion play-off between the WSL2 runners-up and the 13th-placed WSL team, adding extra drama to the bottom of the table. Sky Sports will show 90 per cent of all matches (163 in total), including the promotion play-off, while BBC will show the remaining 10 per cent. The WSL reached a broadcast deal with CBS for the United States audience, with Most important+ streaming 183 matches and CBS Sports Network airing one match per week. United will look to improve on a season where they finished fourth in the FA WSL with 40 points from 22 games, a record of 11 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses, and a goal difference of +16.
Manchester United Women next fixture
Manchester United Women open their WSL campaign away at London City Lionesses on Friday at 7pm UK time. The match kicks off the new season's action following the league's expansion and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Olid will be eager to see his new signings integrate quickly against a London City side that finished sixth last season but has already strengthened significantly with the signing of Putellas.
