Women's Super League

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

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Brighton say there is "no time frame" on manager Dario Vidosic returning from a period of leave as he deals with a family matter in Australia.

Assistant head coach Chris Roberts, supported by first-team coach Arthur Brammer, oversaw the FA Cup fourth-round victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and will remain in charge indefinitely.

"We miss him, he's our leader and of course we feel that," Roberts said before Friday's Women's Super League trip to Everton (19:00 GMT). "It was an emotional time at the end of last week, a challenge, but we have given him the best support we can.

"Ultimately, we have a really important job to do, important we bring our best. There is the human side, but we must be prepared."

When asked when Vidosic might return, Roberts said there is "not so much a time frame now," as the club continue to give "a lot of support and care for Dario".

"[We are] prepared and ready for every game - we will continue for the foreseeable as we are," he said. "I'm finding it OK, making sure nothing really changes in how we prepare or perform. We have a good group of staff. I'd much prefer to have Dario here but it's what we have."

On how Vidosic's absence affects Brighton's dealings in the transfer window, Roberts said: "Me and my staff make decisions on the playing model, but the head coach is still very much with us. We have a methodology, a style of play, which we are all part of."

"From a recruitment point of view, we have a strategy, not just on one person."

Separately, Roberts confirmed he has a largely fit squad for the trip to Merseyside, although midfielder Fran Kirby is doubtful with a slight injury.

He did however reaffirm what Vidosic said last week that Kirby will not be leaving this month amid reported interest from Juventus.

"Same as Dario said, Fran is our player and a top player," he said. "She is here to stay."

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West Ham forward Manuela Pavi has joined Mexican side Deportivo Toluca on a permanent basis.

The Colombia international, 25, signed a three-year deal with the Hammers in August 2024 from Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro after featuring at the Paris Olympics for her country.

In total, she made 34 appearances for West Ham, scoring four goals but had been on the fringes of the first team this season, featuring five times and all as a substitute.

So far in January, West Ham have signed Estelle Cascarino from Juventus, Ria Bose from Sporting and Rebekah Dowsett from Watford as new head coach Rita Guarino reshapes her squad.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Delphine Cascarino's arrival at London City is big news given she brings a wealth of Champions League experience and international pedigree.

Last summer, the club spent fruitfully, bringing in 16 players in one transfer window as they tried to build a squad to compete in the WSL.

It was done at such a pace that this month needed a change in approach - to trim the squad and be more strategic in the way they recruited.

They have been searching for the best young players for the future, mixed with experienced stars with a history of winning that can improve the team now. Cascarino is an example of the latter.

She is well known to the Kynisca company running London City with her former club Lyon also under their ownership.

London City have been pursuing Cascarino for several months, initially in the summer, before deciding to wait until January when a clause in her San Diego contract allowed her to return to Europe on a free deal following a mutual termination of her contract in the United States.

Discussions with some players London City hope to sign in the summer are taking place but they may still add one or two in this window.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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England internationals Aggie Beever-Jones and Keira Walsh returned to full training with Chelsea on Monday morning after recovering from minor injuries.

The defending champions travel to Manchester City for their Women's League Cup semi-finals on Wednesday (19:00 GMT).

Sonia Bompastor says Beever-Jones is set to return to the squad on Wednesday but Walsh is likely to be back for Saturday's league game against Arsenal (12:30 GMT).

England defender Niamh Charles could return "in a few days", added Bompastor, while USA international Catarina Macario is unlikely to feature for a few weeks.

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Liverpool FC Women complete the signing of Aurelie Csillag from SC Freiburg, subject to international clearance.

The Switzerland international forward today put the finishing touches to her transfer at the AXA Melwood Training Centre.

Csillag, who turns 23 on January 24, told Liverpoolfc.com: "For me, the [Barclays Women's] Super League was always a dream.

"When I was a little child, I always wanted to play in the Super League. And then when I heard from Liverpool, it was a nice city, a nice club, a lot of tradition and history, I didn't have any doubts to join this winter.

"The training centre is amazing. I've never seen a training centre in a women's club like this. I was very, very surprised and very happy that I could see this and join this."

Csillag began her career with FC Blue Stars Zurich before moving to Grasshopper Club Zurich, where she broke into the first-team set-up in 2020.

A switch to FC Basel followed in February 2023, before Csillag joined Freiburg last summer.

She has won 12 senior international caps for Switzerland, scoring once, and arrives at Liverpool having made 14 appearances for Frauen-Bundesliga team Freiburg.

Csillag scored four times for Freiburg this season and netted her first international goal in a friendly against Wales last month.

"I'm looking forward to playing against the big clubs," she added. "For me, it's the best league in the world.

"It's a big chance for me to show what I can do on the pitch in this league."

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Everton midfielder and Danish international Karen Holmgaard has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and will be unavailable the foreseeable future.

Holmgaard picked up the injury during their FA Cup win against West Bromwich Albion last week.

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Liverpool have signed Tottenham Hotspur striker Martha Thomas on loan for the rest of the season.

The 29-year-old joins the Women's Super League's bottom side having made 66 appearances for Spurs, scoring 13 times.

Thomas joined the North London side in September 2023 from West Ham and is a Scotland international with 52 caps and 21 goals.

"I think it's the right fit, right now in my career," said Thomas, external.

"Even though it's a short loan, I'm really looking forward to be here and help this team climb the table where they deserve to be.

"I wouldn't have joined if I didn't think I could help and I didn't think it was a successful project going forward."

Gareth Taylor's side are yet to win a WSL match this season, drawing four times and losing on eight occasions, and sit one point behind West Ham in 11th.

Thomas is Liverpool's fourth signing of the January window, following the arrivals of forward Anna Josendal from Hammarby, goalkeeper Jennifer Falk and midfielder Alice Bergstom, both from Hacken.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

United States midfielder Sam Coffey brings "an energy" that Manchester City needed, says manager Andree Jeglertz.

The 27-year-old joined on a three-and-a-half-year deal from Portland Thorns last week for £600,000.

"There is something with American players that I really like. They have an energy and she has leadership in her and intensity in how she trains," added Jeglertz.

"That is something that can definitely help us grow. We have a lot of great players but we sometimes need a bit more energy in training sessions and the American way of communicating.

"She's also a great football player! It's the way she passes, covers a lot of ground, defends aggressively – there are a lot of things in her that will fit well in our team."

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Liverpool manager Gareth Taylor is confident his side can find their scoring touch while recognising Sunday's FA Cup tie at fourth-tier London Bees (13:00 GMT) will still be challenging.

The Reds are bottom of the Women's Super League, winless through 12 games and have only scored eight goals so far this season.

Nevertheless, four draws from their past six games has given Taylor hope of progress, and he wants that to continue in the "banana skin" this weekend.

"We know we're expected to win," he said. "Everybody sees an emphatic victory, but teams make it difficult. Nothing is a given.

"We have an opportunity to go and dominate a game in the way I see us doing and I am hoping that will be the outcome.

"With the way we play, we know we'll get balls into our wide players, get it into the final third and progress up the pitch as a team. But it is about putting the ball in the back of the net - and that's the hardest thing in football."

Liverpool have already brought in three players this transfer window in goalkeeper Jennifer Falk, full-back Alice Bergstrom and forward Anna Josendal. Taylor expects more activity before it closes on Tuesday, 3 February (23:00 GMT).

"We are still looking to do more business," he said. "We are close to a few things and hopefully will be able to update you soon."

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport senior journalist

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Talented Sweden striker Ellen Wangerheim is the latest addition to a Manchester United attack that has also been reinforced with Germany star Lea Schuller this window.

Wangerheim arrives in Manchester after scoring 17 goals for Hammarby to help them finish second in the Swedish league in November.

She was an unused substitute for Sweden when England beat them on penalties in the European Championship quarter-finals last summer.

Boss Marc Skinner said the new signing will allow his side to be "more unpredictable" in their quest to win titles this season.

"I thought we were becoming too predictable," he said. "The Manchester United spirit is about attacking with speed and invasion - and she brings that in abundance.

"She is a lovely quiet character off the field. On it, she gets alive. She wants to take people on and run behind and I felt we had lost that a little bit.

"She is 21 but has so much experience already. She had 3,000 minutes in 2025 but still sits in the category of us being able to add lots of quality to her football too.

"She is a rare find."

After completing the move, Wangerheim said: "I am so excited. It feels amazing to be here. It's a huge club with big history.

"Sitting here in this shirt is a proud moment for me. It's always been my dream to move abroad and to play in another country, in Europe and in a really big football club."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Birmingham City manager Amy Merricks says their ambitions should be taken seriously after signing Sweden midfielder Wilma Leidhammar from IFK Norrkoping for an undisclosed club-record fee.

Swedish media report the fee to be £316,000 which would surpass the £308,000 Arsenal paid Hammarby for Australia midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross in 2023.

The Blues, who currently sit second in the WSL 2, are pushing for promotion back to the top tier and are competing in the FA Cup fourth round this weekend.

Leidhammar, 22, is an exciting addition from Sweden's Damallsvenskan, where she scored eight goals in 25 games last season.

"We've had a really, positive window and we're not done yet. We've added lots of players with really good experience and high potential to play at the pinnacle of women's football and that's where we want to be as a club," said manager Merricks.

"I've seen Wilma play for Sweden's youth teams multiple times. She brings, not only her ability on the pitch, but desire and professionalism.

"If anyone didn't take our ambitions seriously, I hope they really do after this window. It shows what we're pushing for."

Birmingham City take on third-tier side Hull City on Sunday (14:00 GMT) and Merricks says the Blues want to go all the way in the FA Cup.

She has urged her players to build on their positive start to the campaign which puts them in a strong position for the WSL 2 title race.

"We have a really good foundation and are in a good position. I don't have to do all the talking. The players set out their targets and know what they want to achieve.

"For me, it's about driving the actions and the performance behaviours that will get us success. I'm really happy with where we are but we want to push for more.

"We haven't been quiet about it. We want to win the league. That comes with a relentless desire every day to make sure our actions match that. Our job isn't done."