For the first time in five years, Marc Skinner will not be in the dugout to lead Manchester United at the start of a WSL season. Skinner’s resignation last month came against a backdrop of frustrated fans and a club that is looking to scale back the costs of chasing Champions League football.
It was a departure that felt both shocking and expected at the same time.
For several years, Skinner had been managing within restricted means as United’s hierarchy have been vocal about the cost burden of the women’s team. United fans had also become frustrated about a style of play that many believed had become stale, and Skinner was often the target of their criticisms.
Now, there’s a new coach to absorb the pressure of being United boss, but with the strategic direction shifting towards prioritising youth, can Eva Olid maintain United’s place alongside the WSL’s elite?
What happened last season?
It’s hard for Manchester United fans to look back at last season and take many positives.
United finished fourth in the WSL last season, nine points adrift of Chelsea in third place and 15 points shy of Manchester City’s title-winning total. It was a marginally worse performance compared to 2024-25 when United finished third.
In cup competitions, Chelsea once again blocked United’s path by knocking them out of the FA Cup and defeating them in the League Cup final. The Champions League offered some hope as United reached the league phase for the first time and looked comfortable in most of their fixtures.
However, once again, they couldn’t find a way past elite opposition. Bayern Munich proved too strong for United over two legs, but fans could be forgiven for seeing the tie as a missed opportunity. The Red Devils were 10 minutes away from sending the tie to extra time until two late second-leg goals killed their hopes of a semi-final against Barcelona.
A lack of depth and tired legs showed in the second leg – something the club hasn’t entirely addressed over the summer.
Transfers
On paper, United’s transfer window looks a bit lopsided, with more departures than arrivals.
Six players have left the club permanently. Leah Galton (free agent), Hannah Blundell (Everton), Gabby George (Brighton), Melvine Malard (Chelsea), Millie Turner and Lisa Naalsund (both to Birmingham City) have all moved on to pastures new, with the latter four fetching transfer fees. The majority of the departures on paper follow the lines coming out from the club of refreshing the team to be younger and looking to develop the next generation of players. The outlier is Malard’s departure, albeit receiving a big fee - she topped the charts when it came to goal involvements in the United squad. The departures this summer will more likely be felt off the pitch, with most of those being big personalities and a big part of the team over the last few years.
Four players have arrived in their places. Andrea Medina, Janina Leiztig, Monica Jusu Bah and Rebeca Bernal. Each player brings something different to the side, all positions needed to help bolster the squad. Medina on a free transfer is a smart pick up by United, covering both left-back, left wing-back and centre-back.
Left winger Jusu Bah fills a position United needed to recruit, with Malard and Galton’s departures, United only had one natural left winger (Fridolina Rolfo) - so to add a younger player to that left side of attack was crucial this summer.
The signings of Medina and Jusu Bah line up with the club’s new direction of signing players to develop, building a squad of players in their early 20s - which United will hope to pay dividends in a few years. Bernal was the final signing of the window but one of the most important. Being a versatile player, she can slot in at centre-back and central midfield, and adds vital experience to a younger squad. Overall it’s been a quieter window than most fans expected.
The change of manager midway through pre-season undoubtedly had an impact, which was noted by Olid in the pre-match press conference ahead of United’s opener against London City Lionesses on Friday. Olid said: “The thing is that the players I need are different from the players the previous manager needed. That puts us in a situation that has been a short-period to react for the players that I need. We have some plans in January about signing players that I really need for my style of play and model game. It was not about signing players quick this summer”. Olid also added that the club are already planning mode for the January window.
Goalkeepers Saf Middleton-Patel and Kayla Rendell have also gone on loan, with United signing Leitzig as a back up to Phallon Tullis-Joyce, both loans make sense for them to get game time elsewhere. Rendell is yet to play a competitive game for United since joining in January 2025, while Middleton-Patel has a handful of appearances, most notably a run of three fixtures last season when Tullis-Joyce was out with an injury. Both keepers need game time to develop further and Leitzig’s arrival adds the experience needed to support Tullis-Joyce.
Ones to watch
After three seasons spent on loan, this could be Emma Watson’s time to shine. The 20-year-old Scotland midfielder is coming off the back of an impressive loan spell in Mexico and her development is at the right stage to break into this United first team.
The style of play Olid will employ this season will likely suit Watson’s game, with quick one- or two-touch passing and fast movement off the ball. New assistant coach Gavin Beith has worked with Watson through her time at youth level for Scotland and knows her talent well.
A more straightforward pick for this season is Monica Jusu Bah, who arrived at United from BK Hacken for a fee of just under £400,000. Her pace and skill on the left wing will be exciting to watch in this United team, especially in games where she has space to run into. Her ability to beat a player one-on-one and deliver into the box could be crucial for strikers like Elisabeth Terland, who thrive on having natural wingers like Jusu Bah outside of her.
The speed and link up of United’s Swedish left side, with Anna Sandberg the likely starter at left back, will get the best out of Jusu Bah this campaign.
The game you’ve marked in your calendar
It’s hard not to look past the opening game against London City Lionesses as a key test of where both sides are at.
It will be the first time seeing Olid’s United in a competitive match, opening the season against a tough opposition who have strengthened this summer. The first three fixtures also include a home game against Chelsea and an away fixture at Arsenal.
These games will be a tough start for the new manager and team, but will give fans an early insight into what can be expected from United this season after a relatively late change of manager and limited activity in the market compared to the rest of the WSL.
Prediction
United have a new manager, a new style of play and a new club direction, making this season a hard one to predict.
I think United will once again finish fourth this season in the WSL. The starting 11 still has enough quality to compete at the top but the lack of depth, especially in attack, will cost United points throughout the season. They will likely finish a few runs behind the top three. Although the teams below United last season have strengthened this summer, the team should have enough quality and experience to solidify fourth position.
I’m expecting United to reach the final of the Subway Players Cup at a minimum. Anything less, I believe, is a failure in that competition.
Patience will be required this season, and success can be measured in different ways. Providing United stay within the top four and the team looks to be playing better football, I think this season can be looked back on as a successful one.
