iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

“I’m from Derby, so [my family] travel down every Sunday to come and watch me. My dad and older brother always have something to say about my performance, no matter what!” My interview with London City Lionesses forward Isobel Goodwin. Her Goal magazine: womensfootballmagazine.com/product/her-...

A page from Isobel Goodwin’s interview in Her Goal magazine

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

“[Leaving Man United for #BayFC] was very much that I wanted to be respected as a senior player rather than an academy player. I always felt like I was never 100% seen as worthy [at #MUWomen]." My 6-page interview with Keira Barry, in Her Goal magazine 🔑 womensfootballmagazine.com/product/her-...

Screenshot of the opening two pages of Keira Barry’s interview in Her Goal magazine. Headline: Way Out West.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

🚨 #BarclaysWSL fantasy football players Join the Her Goal Magazine league here: wslfootball.com/fantasy/leag...

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

“I’ve lived in bags for ten years, moved around… this is where I want to end my career, because it’s where it all started.” 🎶⚽️ feature with ex-Norway defender & two-time WSL winner Maria Thorisdottir 🇳🇴 #MUWomen, #CFCW, #bhafcwomen & why her 🎸career is on hold… beatsandrhymesfc.com/maria-thoris...

Maria Thorisdottir sat with a pen, paper, her dog Theo (in a Klepp shirt), and a shirt on the table with her surname and number 3 on, after signing for Klepp.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

“I think when I saw [Ada Hegerberg] win the Ballon d’Or, I was like, ‘Okay, one day that’s gonna be me.’” In-depth music/football feature with #SpursWomen forward Cathinka Tandberg 🇳🇴 Latest interview from this 15-year 🎶⚽️ series: beatsandrhymesfc.com/cathinka-tan... #thfc 📸 Chloe Knott/THFC

Cathinka Tandberg poses in Spurs kit, smiling with both fists clenched.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Hayley Raso on her Portland Thorns years 🌹 #BAONPDX #NWSL

“I’m still very close with Mark Parsons, who was my coach back then, we have a really great relationship. He believed in me and trusted me a lot. His belief in me really pushed me, and I was in a team full of superstars, but it was an incredible team. We did so well, and I remember getting voted the Supporters’ Player of the Year when I was there, and kind of couldn’t believe it because of the team I was in. It was really fun, I really enjoyed myself there. We played some good football, we had a great squad, the coaching was excellent. Yeah, it was… I was in some good form back then!”

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

“[The national team is] a place where I feel very happy, very confident, really valued. I think you can see that I’m this top version of myself there... I think everything I do is for [the Matildas].” Six-page Hayley Raso 🇦🇺 interview for @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social Access info in next post

Screenshot of the first two pages from Hayley Raso’s interview in Her Goal magazine. Headline: Aus Fest ‘26

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Kaylan Marckese: “I talk a lot with [ex-Arsenal teammate] Viv Miedema about how things are going; she’s really great at checking in on my mental health and on me personally.” #awfc

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Kaylan Marckese: “I’ve had a lot of conversations with teammates from different clubs who went through emotional turmoil... [Players] sent home for the break and told two days after that they weren’t going to continue their contract, then had that situation lied about to the team that remained.”

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Kaylan Marckese: “I got sent on loan [to Bristol City] when I didn’t think I was mentally ready to leave that kind of support system [at Arsenal] because I struggled with my mental health throughout my whole career... I ended up tearing my ACL pretty quickly, after playing so, so poorly.” #awfc

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Kaylan Marckese: “I was supposed to come to a brand-new club [Tampa Bay Sun], my hometown, and I was immediately crushed [after tearing an ACL]. I was really, really unhappy with how they treated me as an injured player going through a huge setback in my rehab.“

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

“I want to go somewhere I’m valued as a human being, and it just felt like in soccer I wasn’t getting that.” Former Arsenal keeper Kaylan Marckese speaks in detail publicly for the first time on retiring from playing at 27. In our new @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social Free access to follow below. #awfc

Laura Wienroither, Kaylan Marckese, Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema in the Arsenal gym.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

The new issue of @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social is here ⚫️⚪️ Featuring cover star 🌟 and Newcastle United captain, Demi Stokes (and so many others). Available from today on UK news stands, or order online: womensfootballmagazine.com/product/her-... #nuwfc #nufc #BarclaysWSL2 #BarclaysWSL #lionesses

Front cover of Her Goal magazine Issue 4, with Demi Stokes in a Newcastle United shirt as the main image. Main text: HOME AND HOWAY: Euro winner Demi Stokes’ Tyneside return.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

“At Arsenal, I’ve found a place where I’m treated well, valued highly and supported in showing my best.” In-depth Mariona Caldentey interview 🔴⚪️🇪🇸 In our new issue of @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social. Get yours here (or in UK supermarkets/retailers): womensfootballmagazine.com/product/her-... #awfc

Front cover of Her Goal magazine Issue 3, with Mariona Caldentey as the main image. Main text: SUPER MARIO 26. New year, next level for Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey

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Reposted by Chris Brookes

Bill Nottingham @notting.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Learn more about NC's new striker here, from @chris-brookes.bsky.social! bsky.app/profile/chri...

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Aston Villa prospect Lydia Sallaway has joined #SWPL leaders Glasgow City 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 on loan for the rest of the season. The England youth defender, 18, signed her first professional contract at Villa last summer. #BarclaysWSL #avwfc 📸 Georgia Reynolds/Glasgow City FC

Lydia Sallaway pictured in a Glasgow City scarf

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

West Ham have signed 19-year-old defender Ria Bose 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 from Sporting CP 🇵🇹 The England Under-20 joins until summer 2028. (📸 WHUFC) #BarclaysWSL #whufc

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

The latest Norwegian in the #BarclaysWSL 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Liverpool have signed 24-year-old attacker Anna Jøsendal 🇳🇴 from Hammarby. (📸 Nick Taylor/LFC) #lfcw

Anna Jøsendal pictured in a Liverpool shirt

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

London City Lionesses have appointed recent Newcastle United manager Becky Langley as assistant coach. #BarclaysWSL #LCLionesses #NUWFC 📸 Nina Farooqi

Becky Langley in training with London City Lionesses

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Brighton have signed 25-year-old midfielder Olaug Tvedten 🇳🇴 from Vålerenga. #BarclaysWSL #bhafcwomen (📸 BHAFC)

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

West Ham’s Shekiera Martínez 🇩🇪 has won #BarclaysWSL Goal of the Month for her overhead kick v Manchester United.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Manchester City’s Andrée Jeglertz 🇸🇪 wins #BarclaysWSL Manager of the Month for the third time in a row. #mcwfc

Andrée Jeglertz holding his monthly award

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw 🇯🇲 is the #BarclaysWSL Player of the Month for December. 🔥 #mcwfc #reggaegirlz

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Please share ⚽️ Calling future Fran Kirbys 🚨 Junior players wanting to be in the UK’s longest-running women’s footy magazine, Her Goal (formerly She Kicks) is looking for participants in our Born Kicking Q&A. 📧 cbrookes@balticpublications.co.uk Be like this past interviewee👇 (it’s Fran Kirby btw…)

Fran Kirby featuring in Fair Game magazine as a ten-year-old

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Sweden goalkeeper Jennifer Falk 🇸🇪 has signed for Liverpool on loan for the remainder of the season. The 32-year-old moves overseas for the first time in her career, joining a relegation battle at the bottom side in the #BarclaysWSL. #LFCW 📸 Nick Taylor/LFC

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Birmingham City have signed London City Lionesses’ Lotta Lindström 🇫🇮 on loan. The 21-year-old joins the #BarclaysWSL2 promotion chasers for the rest of the season. (📸 BCFC) #bcfcwomen #lclionesses #BarclaysWSL

Lotta Lindström in a Birmingham City shirt

Lotta Lindström turns to show the back of her Birmingham City shirt with ‘Lindström 20’ on

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

🚨 MAGAZINE OPPORTUNITY (for junior footballers) - please share Does your footy-mad youngster want to be in an issue of Her Goal magazine (previously known as She Kicks)? To feature in our ‘Born Kicking’ Q&A, email: cbrookes@balticpublications.co.uk

Front cover of Her Goal Magazine Issue 2, with Spurs’ Cathinka Tandberg as the main image.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

“People came running into the gym - ‘Is everyone all right?’ 🚨 …I was like, ‘It’s just a good song!’” The 🎶⚽️ story of Brighton forward Madison Haley. North Dallas 🇺🇸 to South Coast 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Our in-depth interview: beatsandrhymesfc.com/madison-hale... #BarclaysWSL #BHAWFC (📸 Paul Hazlewood / #BHAFC)

Madison Haley in a Brighton shirt, sitting in a deckchair

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

“Australia was the only place I was eligible for, I thought… When I told my dad (about representing Greece), he just started crying, & I thought that was such a beautiful thing.” Latest 🎶⚽️ feature, with Hibernian’s #SWPL champion 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Stacey Papadopoulos 🇦🇺🇬🇷 beatsandrhymesfc.com/stacey-papad... #Hibs

Stacey Papadopoulos celebrates with the SWPL trophy alongside Hibernian Women teammate Noa Schumacher.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

New issue of @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social, featuring #SpursWomen forward & cover star 💫 Cathinka Tandberg 🇳🇴 100 pages on the women’s game, and we’ll celebrate 30 years in 2026. Available now in supermarkets/other retailers and online here: womensfootballmagazine.com/product/her-... #thfc

Cover image of Her Goal magazine. Main image: Cathinka Tandberg in a Spurs shirt. Main text: It’s Tinka Time.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

“Not being selected for the Euros was difficult… I came out of that experience hungrier than ever. It definitely gives me extra fire to prove myself.” My feature with Sweden forward Evelyn Ijeh 🇸🇪🇳🇬 Music, #MilanFemminile 🇮🇹, Nigeria, #TigresFemenil 🇲🇽 & more: beatsandrhymesfc.com/evelyn-ijeh-...

Evelyn Ijeh has her tie adjusted while wearing an AC Milan club suit

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

“I’ve loved my Chelsea career so far & my life here in London... It feels like home. We spend every summer away from London, & then I’m like, ‘OK, I’m going home now.’” My interview with Guro Reiten 🇳🇴 in this month’s @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social 🔑 womensfootballmagazine.com/product/her-... #cfcw

Front cover of Her Goal magazine. Main image: Guro Reiten in Chelsea shirt. Headline: Bluetopia - Guro Reiten & Chelsea’s love supreme.
Other text: Remembering Matt Beard. London City Lionesses star Kosovare Asllani. PLUS: Fran Kirby talks transfers. Barça & Dortmund in focus.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

ICYMI: October’s issue of the magazine (our last as She Kicks before the switch to @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social). 100 pages of women’s football, including our interview with cover star 💫 Man City & Spain’s Leila Ouahabi. Get yours! 👇 womensfootballmagazine.com/product/she-... #mcwfc #BarclaysWSL

Front cover of She Kicks magazine (now known as Her Goal magazine) Issue 92, with Leila Ouahabi as the main image. Main text: Let There Be Leila - 1-on-1 with Man City & Spain’s Leila Ouahabi

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

“I feel more at home in Manchester, with the culture & the people. I think I’ve got a little bit of an accent as well, so I guess I’m becoming more (Manc)…” My interview with #MUWomen striker Elisabeth Terland 🇳🇴 in October’s @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social 🔑 womensfootballmagazine.com/product/she-...

The top of the page from Elisabeth Terland’s interview in She Kicks magazine (now known as Her Goal magazine). Headline: Your defence is TERIfied (Teri is her nickname).

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

“I think I can be proud of myself the last five games (of last season); I just want to show I can do it through the whole season.” My interview with Aston Villa’s Chasity Grant 🇳🇱 in this month’s @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social Get yours: womensfootballmagazine.com/product/she-... #avwfc #BarclaysWSL

Screenshot from Chasity Grant’s She Kicks magazine interview. Headline: THRILLA FROM THE VILLA.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

“I’m really hoping that I can bring more of a leadership role and really step up for Scotland.” Back at Liverpool on a full deal, Sam Kerr 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 has clear ambitions for club & country. Our interview in @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social 🔑 womensfootballmagazine.com/product/she-... #LFCW #BarclaysWSL #SWNT

Screenshot from Sam Kerr’s interview in She Kicks magazine. Headline: HELLO STRANGER!

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

“I’m so far from home, and I feel really at home here at Everton. It’s a great club that provides everything I need…so I wouldn’t leave.” This month’s @hergoalmagazine.bsky.social, including my interview with #EvertonWomen & #Matildas’ Clare Wheeler 🇦🇺 🔑 womensfootballmagazine.com/product/she-...

Cover of She Kicks magazine with Everton’s Clare Wheeler as the main image. Headline: WHEELS UP FOR THE NEW SEASON! Everton’s Aussie midfielder Clare Wheeler. Other text: Liverpool’s Sam Kerr, Millie Bright gets Game Ready, Villa’s Chasity Grant, EURO 2025 re-lived: England’s Swisstory makers

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Marc Skinner also confirms that there isn’t currently a 24-hour option to recall the loan players if #MUWomen had first-teamers become unavailable. #BarclaysWSL

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Also asked Marc Skinner how close #MUWomen youngsters are to properly breaking through. And if he’d see it as a failure if he doesn’t bring homegrown players through. “We have this fantasy that because they’re homegrown they can come straight in and play.” #BarclaysWSL

“The reality is, and I think I’m pretty good at this, is knowing when they’re ready. We have this fantasy that because they’re homegrown they can come straight in and play. Well, ask the other teams exactly the same question. They have to be ready, because the thing is – and this is what people don’t understand – if you don’t get that timing right, you damage a player. It’s not about the team, it’s about damaging the player’s psychology, so they don’t feel they’re ready then. I know, by the conversations I have with the psychology team, we have a team that looks after our loanee players, that call them every month to make sure they’re checking in, ‘Do they need anything?’ So, we have absolute care for our…

players, but if they’re not ready, and that is the job of me to understand whether they’re ready. They also have to be better than the players that are in the team, because otherwise, I’m replacing a homegrown player with a player that’s already better than them. So, we have to be very careful in the way that we discuss that, a player’s future, but let me be clear, when they are ready, they will play, and that is the final answer on that.”

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner when I asked about #MUWomen squad depth and the decision to send players on loan (particularly Emma Watson to Crystal Palace, who’d been cited in the past as a big part of his plans). United named 5 out of 9 available subs v Leicester recently. #BarclaysWSL

That one’s pretty simple for me. Emma missed the first year for an ACL that she got on a Scotland camp, so we didn’t have her for the first year. She then wanted to play football, because the only way she’s going to get better is by playing football. This year, I think that’s pretty selfish of us as a club, if we want to see her talent grow, to sit her on a bench and bring her in for moments of games, rather than actually let her have the opportunity. So, if you think about Emma, and by the way, this is Emma’s choice as well, Emma wants to go out and play because she wants to play for Manchester United. It’s a pretty simple one for me. I think – and I’m with the fans when I echo their sentiment – that I think in the winter window, we need to do work, because I think we need to add to this already-super-talented squad, but we need more depth, in high quality…

in certain areas. So, I’m with that. And I must stress, on the other side of that, though, I can’t do anything until January, so now, my sole focus is on getting the very best of these players and giving them the right rest, recovery, so we don’t risk injury, while also trying to get the rotation right. So, forgive me if I don’t talk about it any more, because I understand it, but I can’t do anything about it, apart from behind the scenes try and recruit the players ready for winter window, and that’s what I’m doing; I haven’t stopped. So, just to be clear, Emma Watson wanted to go out, it’s the right decision for her. Even Jess Simpson, so on, it’s right for them, and hopefully, we can get through to that window without too many injuries. That’s going to be key, I’ve no doubt about it.”

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Asked new #SpursWomen boss Martin Ho how they become enjoyable to watch this season. Could it come from Matilda Vinberg/Araya Dennis playing bigger roles? “You have to allow players to take risks & be brave… We will risk the ball at times, we’ll be more aggressive on the front foot.” #BarclaysWSL

I want the team to look exciting. I want to be able to stand and watch my own team and feel the energy and feel the passion, and kick and head every ball with them. Yes, the team’s going to be exciting. I think what you have to do is you have to allow players to take risks and be brave, and we have to support that, which we will. I want the team to be exciting and we will be. We will risk the ball at times, we’ll be more aggressive on the front foot in terms of how we press the game, but some of the players you’ve mentioned there, I’ve seen a big shift in their confidence and belief, more importantly. The likes of Matilda Vinberg has looked brilliant for us in pre-season and she’s done exceptionally well… Araya Dennis has trained really well all week, she’s trained well in pre-season, she’s been patient. She’s had the opportunities when they’ve come, and Araya just needs a little bit of guidance and a little bit more coaching.

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Liverpool have signed left-back Alejandra Bernabé 🇪🇸 on a full deal following her loan from Chelsea. (📸 LFC) #lfcw #cfcw #BarclaysWSL

Alejandra Bernabé in a Liverpool shirt with pen and paper

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Newcastle United have signed Chelsea goalkeeper Femke Liefting 🇳🇱 on a season-long loan. Liefting, 20, has been with Chelsea since January, having joined from Dutch side AZ. #nuwfc #cfcw #BarclaysWSL #BarclaysWSL2

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Asked West Ham manager Rehanne Skinner about assurances from the club that last season’s top scorer Shekiera Martínez wouldn’t be sold this summer. #BarclaysWSL #westhamwomen

Shekiera Martínez with the Young Hammer of the Year and club’s Goal of the Year awards

“I think it’s really straightforward. We’re building the club, and so obviously these players are so important to us in order to keep that consistency, and that’s something that the club was always on board with. Shekiera’s a key part of everything that we’ve done… she’s a key part of our plans moving forward and everyone within the club is in agreement with that.”

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Birmingham have signed Brighton midfielder Libby Bance on loan for the season. (📸 BCFC) #bcfcwomen #bhafcwomen #BarclaysWSL #BarclaysWSL2

Libby Bance in a Birmingham shirt at St. Andrew’s

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Liverpool have signed forward Beata Olsson 🇸🇪 from Kristianstad. The 24-year-old former Florida State 🇺🇸 star, a national champion in 2021 and 2023, has been back in Sweden since the end of her collegiate career. (📸 Nick Taylor/LFC) #BarclaysWSL #LFCW

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Manchester City midfielder Yui Hasegawa has signed a new four-year contract. The 28-year-old Japan international had extended her contract last January to 2027. (📸 Declan Lloyd/MCFC) #BarclaysWSL #mcwfc

Yui Hasegawa holding a Man City shirt with ‘Hasegawa 25’ on

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Asked Everton manager Brian Sørensen if he sees Ruby Mace as a midfielder or defender long term: “I see her 100% as a midfielder.” Adds that they also signed her to ‘mix the game up’ with their passing range, an area where they are ‘a bit lacking.’ #evertonwomen #BarclaysWSL

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Exact quotes from Brian Sørensen on Inma Gabarro are that Everton are ‘looking into if we can loan her back to Sevilla, just for a season, so we’re going to extend her contract.’ The move is for the 22-year-old to ‘get home, close to family.’ #BarclaysWSL #evertonwomen #LigaF

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Chris Brookes @chris-brookes.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Everton boss Brian Sørensen when I asked if fans can rest easy knowing that nobody will be sold before the #BarclaysWSL deadline (he’d already said Inma Gabarro is rejoining Sevilla on loan): “We’re working maybe on one loan for the youngsters but let’s see how that plays out.” #evertonwomen

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