Aston Villa Women can bridge gap to WSL top four with smart summer of recruitment – Sky Sports journalist
Dan Bardell believes Aston Villa Women can continue to bridge the gap to the Women’s Super League established top four with a strong summer of transfer recruitment.
Under the guidance of Carla Ward, the Villans have set about their business in a successful fashion this season, currently sitting in fifth position and picking up nine wins from their 17 WSL games to date.
Ward’s side are also preparing for a historic FA Cup semi-final showdown against Chelsea after defeating Manchester City 2-1 in the last eight of the domestic competition.
The club’s hierarchy have been praised for the huge improvements taken this year after signing the likes of Euro 2022 winner Rachel Daly and French international Kenza Dali in the summer transfer window and snapping up Jordan Nobbs from WSL title contenders Arsenal in January.
Daly, in particular, has taken the WSL by storm after joining from Houston Dash last summer, scoring 21 goals in 24 games and currently sitting second in the race for the Golden Boot.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Sky Sports and The Athletic’s Dan Bardell predicted that Aston Villa stand a chance of shaking up the WSL’s top four teams if they continue the strong recruitment from the last 12 months and replicate it this summer.
“I don’t think they’re too far away,” he said when asked if Villa could get themselves among the established top four.
“If they can get the players they got in on loan this season on a permanent basis, they are definitely a top-six side and maybe pushing higher.
“I think the backing in the summer will be really good again, and they are suddenly an attractive proposition because of the likes of Rachel Daly and Jordan Nobbs, who was struggling at Arsenal but then came to Villa and is back involved with England, have taken Villa to new levels.
“Kenza Dali is a great player as well, a big-name player for France and for Villa as well, and I just think if they continue to recruit smartly as they have done over the last year, I don’t think they are too far away from breaking into those established top four sides.
“They’ve played Manchester City three times this season and haven’t lost, so that underlines the steps they have taken this year.”
With the WSL season quickly drawing into its final furlong, eyes within the Villa hierarchy will be firmly set on the summer transfer window.
A decision on current loanees Anna Patten and Kirtsy Hanson, both of whom have become first-team regulars and have more than justified grounds for a permanent signing, is expected to be made, while further transfers are certainly going to be in the works.
In other Aston Villa news, Unai Emery might have a new star on the block after an injury expert shared news on a first-team ace.