Manchester United Women are preparing for the 2026-27 Women's Super League season under new head coach Eva Olid, aiming to build on a fourth-place finish last term. The club, which recorded 40 points from 22 games with a record of 11 wins, seven draws, and four losses, ended the campaign 15 points behind champions Manchester City W, as detailed in the final standings.
Olid was appointed on a two-year deal with an option for a further year on 5 August, succeeding Marc Skinner after his five-year tenure. The Spaniard arrives with a strong pedigree, having led Hearts to their first-ever Scottish Women's Premier League title. "I always say: 'My life is football,'" Olid told The Guardian. "I don't have other things. I spend probably 24 hours every day on football."
Who are the new signings for Manchester United Women?
Olid has overseen significant squad turnover. Key departures include forwards Melvine Malard and Leah Galton, defenders Gabby George and Millie Turner, and midfielders Lisa Naalsund and Hannah Blundell. In their place, the club has made three major signings. The headline arrival is Sweden forward Monica Jusu Bah, who joined from BK Häcken for a reported fee of about £400,000. Bah, who has 11 senior caps, scored 16 goals and provided seven assists last season, helping Häcken win the inaugural Women's Europa Cup.
Defensive reinforcements come from Spain youth international Andrea Medina and former Germany youth goalkeeper Janina Leitzig. These additions aim to solidify a team that ranked fourth for expected goal metrics at both ends of the pitch last season but whose actual results showed a variance of +9.86, making them notoriously hard to predict.
Which players will lead the squad this season?
Senior England internationals Maya Le Tissier and Ella Toone are expected to provide leadership and quality in defence and attack. Dynamic midfielder Jess Park and Sweden wing-back Anna Sandberg add further international experience. In goal, Phallon Tullis-Joyce remains a key figure. The club's financial health supports this rebuild, having recorded a profit of £397,000 in its most recent accounts and a cumulative profit of £1.34 million since reforming the senior women's team in 2018.
A major bright spot is the emergence of academy graduate Layla Drury. At 16, she became the club's youngest player and goalscorer in the Women's FA Cup last January. This summer, the now 17-year-old signed her first professional contract, becoming the youngest professional in the team's history. Drury, who previously represented Wales at youth level, has since been called up to England's Under-20 squad for the World Cup in Poland and scored in an 11-0 warm-up win against New Caledonia.
Where will Manchester United Women play their home games?
The team continues to play its home matches at Leigh Sports Village, the 12,000-capacity venue they have called home since 2018. The stadium, which also hosts the Leigh Leopards rugby league side and United's men's Under-21s, previously hosted a quarter-final during the 2022 European Championship. Plans are in place for the final home WSL fixture against Arsenal in May to be held at Old Trafford, though this may be rearranged if Arsenal reach the Women's Champions League semi-finals.
Ownership of the club involves a majority stake held by the Glazer family, with Ineos, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, holding a minority stake but controlling football operations. Supporters will hope Olid's attacking philosophy, embodied by signings like Bah, makes for more entertaining football. The team's goal difference of +16 from last season, with 38 scored and 22 conceded, provides a solid platform. Fans can track the squad's progress and upcoming matches on our dedicated fixtures and squad pages. The new WSL season kicks off with Olid's rebuilt side looking to defy a pre-season prediction of a seventh-place finish from Guardian writers.
