All summer long, GOAL handed out grades for the biggest transfers from around the women's game
From Vivianne Miedema and Mary Earps to Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby, there were some huge names of the women's game on the move in a massive summer transfer window as clubs got themselves in the best possible shape ahead of the 2024-25 season.
As always, some of those deals will work out and some won't. How successful each move will be can be hard to gauge at the time, but sometimes it's not; sometimes it looks like a sure win straight away, whether it is for the buyer, the seller or the player themselves.
GOAL is here, then, to ensure you know how all parties did in every massive move this past transfer window. Throughout the summer, we graded every big done deal as it happened, letting you track the winners – and losers – of the off-season.
Check out our grades below, and let us know what you think in the comments section…
Getty ImagesAugust 14: Cloe Lacasse (Arsenal to Utah Royals)
For Arsenal: On one hand, this is a perfectly good bit of business from Arsenal. Lacasse didn't nail down a place in the Gunners' starting XI last season after arriving from Benfica and was instead largely used as a sub, despite regularly making an impact. To sell her to the Royals for a significant fee, then, makes sense in a way. However, it's hard for the overriding feeling about this transfer not to be that Arsenal could have, and should have, used the Canada international more. To lose a versatile, hard-working and effective forward is a blow, even if the Gunners didn't get the best out of her. Grade: B
For Utah Royals: This is a fantastic signing for Utah, the lowest scorer in the NWSL through the first half of the 2024 season. Lacasse is an explosive, direct and exciting forward who can make things happen on her own, something that will be music to the ears of Royals fans who have had little to shout about on the team's return to the league. This isn't a side that leaks a ton of goals on a regular basis, with seven of its 11 NWSL defeats this year coming by one-goal margins, so the addition of some star quality in attack like Lacasse could make a huge difference in turning the tide. Grade: A
For Lacasse: It's a real shame that things didn't work out for the 31-year-old in England, as she had earned that opportunity through her excellence at Benfica, but this is a promising new chapter in a league that she should adapt to well given her athletic qualities. While playing for a team that has fared better so far this season might've been preferred, Lacasse will be a key player in Utah and that regular game time will certainly be welcomed, for the sake of her club career, sure, but also her international fortunes. Grade: B+
AdvertisementUSA TodayAugust 12: Katie Zelem (Man Utd to Angel City)
For Man Utd: Despite some generally positive business in terms of incomings, it's been a summer of big blows for Man Utd when it comes to exits. After the departures of star goalkeeper Mary Earps and fan favourite Lucia Garcia, club captain Zelem became the latest to leave when her contract expired at the end of June. It's another key player that the Red Devils have lost on a free transfer and another big leader that the dressing room no longer has. This is the second summer in succession that the team has had a window that gives it a 'transitional' feel and if the club wants to consistently challenge for trophies, those just cannot occur as regularly as they seem to be. Grade: F
For Angel City: If there was one area that Angel City needed to strengthen in, it was in midfield, and the club has done exactly that with the signing of Zelem. The 28-year-old will bring consistency, experience and leadership to the middle of the park for a team that needs a big second half of the season in order to get into those playoff spots again. She'll certainly boost the Los Angeles side in its quest to do so – and all on a free transfer, too. Grade: A
For Zelem: After six years at Man Utd, this move represents an exciting new challenge for Zelem. The midfielder has found herself on the outside looking in when it comes to England squads in recent times and perhaps a change of scenery is what she needs to increase her chances of getting a Lionesses recall before the European Championships next summer. The NWSL is a totally different league, so it will challenge her in new ways and make her a better player by rounding out other areas of her game. Whether it will be enough to get into Sarina Wiegman's squad again, only time will tell, but it does feel like it will aid Zelem's bid to get back in an England shirt. Grade: A
Getty ImagesJuly 31: Daphne van Domselaar (Aston Villa to Arsenal)
For Aston Villa: It's never ideal to lose your No.1 goalkeeper and Aston Villa do so just one season after signing her. They have at least got a significant fee in the process, having inserted a release clause worth £200,000 ($254,000) into Van Domselaar's contract last summer. That the club was able to replace her promptly was a positive too, signing Sabrina D'Angelo on a free after her release from Arsenal. It means the goalkeeper department is well-stocked, as the Canadian is added to a squad that already features New Zealand star Anna Leat and a promising young talent in Sophia Poor. Few would disagree that Van Domselaar is better than all three, however Villa will not be short of quality in that area despite her departure. Grade: B
For Arsenal: Does Jonas Eidevall finally have his ideal goalkeeper? It's a position that has seen constant chopping and changing during his tenure, with Van Domselaar the fourth player for the position that has arrived since he took charge in the summer of 2021. That's because it's been a bit of a problem area when it comes to consistent, error-free performances, something Eidevall will hope to get from the Dutchwoman. Whether or not she can deliver it, in just her second season in one of the world's best leagues, time will tell. The feeling is that the very talented Van Domselaar upgrades the goalkeeping department and will immediately compete to start – though, at 24 years old, she does still have growing to do as she becomes more experienced. Grade: B
For Van Domselaar: After a solid, though not flawless, first year in the Women's Super League with Aston Villa, Van Domselaar has earned herself a move to a club that will play in Europe and expect to compete for the title. It's expected that she will at least share duties with Manuela Zinsberger, too, if not pip her to the role of first-choice, so this is a hugely positive move for someone with such a bright future. It will come with more pressure and a demand for more consistency though and if she doesn't step up to deliver that, then Arsenal can turn to Zinsberger right away. It's competitive but exciting. Grade: A
USA TodayJuly 29: Jess Carter (Chelsea to Gotham)
For Chelsea: This is a huge blow. Carter was one of Chelsea's very best players as they won a fifth-successive Women's Super League title last season, her consistency crucial in a team that was hit by a ton of injuries in defence in particular. The Blues do still have some quality centre-backs, but her departure does knock the depth there, which is extremely important for a team that is regularly fighting on four fronts. Whether the club dips back into the market in light of this sale or trusts someone like Aniek Nouwen, a senior Netherlands international who has yet to assert herself at Chelsea, to step up, only time will tell. But this is a hit, not least because Carter has the versatility to help the team in a variety of positions. Grade: F
For Gotham: On the flip side, this is a great pick-up for the reigning NWSL champions. Gotham already have the best defensive record in the U.S. league this season, so while signing Carter doesn't fill a need, she will improve that backline even more with her quality, experience and the competition that her arrival will guarantee. The 26-year-old is another player who knows what it takes to consistently lift trophies, too, and that can certainly help a club that is looking to build a team capable of doing that for years to come. Grade: B
For Carter: After six years at Chelsea, and a decade playing in the top-flight of her home country, this is an exciting new chapter for Carter. The England star herself has spoken about how the NWSL's style, so different to the WSL, can help her to improve and become a better player, challenging her in new ways. She has already made so much progress in the last 12 months and this switch to a new environment can only help her continue down that path. That it reunites her with fiancé Ann-Katrin Berger is an obvious bonus. Grade: B
