Women's Super League

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Brighton manager Dario Vidosic says he "hasn't really thought about" the FA Cup final with his focus on helping the Seagulls to their "best season ever" in the Women's Super League.

Following their dramatic FA Cup semi-final win at Liverpool last weekend, Brighton conclude their league season at home to Tottenham on Saturday.

Victory over fifth-placed Spurs would take Brighton to 29 points, one more than their previous best of 28 in a WSL campaign, set last term under Vidosic.

"I don't want to talk about [the FA Cup final], I haven't really thought about it because I know that we've got a very tough opponent on Saturday," Vidosic said.

"We want to finish the season on the most positive note.

"We've got the potential to also have our best season ever. So there's a lot of things on the line for us... it wouldn't be fair and if we did try to turn our attention now for a game that's two weeks down the line, it won't end nicely for us then tomorrow."

As the cup final against Manchester City is on 31 May, Vidosic can name his strongest XI safe in the knowledge that his players will have plenty of time to recover.

However, there was little chance he was ever going to take the challenge posed by Spurs lightly.

"They've got a really exciting team, they made some great signings throughout the season, some great young talent that I think will be very household names, very, very quickly in this league and around the world."

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Arsenal manager Renee Slegers says departing full-back Katie McCabe is "a legend of the club" and replacing her directly is "not possible".

The Republic of Ireland captain, 30, will leave the club when her contract expires at the end of the season, having played 305 games in 11 years with the Gunners.

McCabe played a pivotal role in helping Arsenal win the Women's Super League in 2019, as well as the Champions League last season, and also has an FA Cup, three League Cups and one Champions Cup medal from her time in north London.

"It's been an honour and I think especially towards the end, we've grown closer to each other as well," Slegers said on her time working with McCabe.

"She possesses such a high football intelligence, which will be missed. She sees the pictures very clearly, she knows what decisions to make in the moment. She can transfer ideas onto the pitch, she trusts her instincts as well, she reads the game.

"But also her grittiness, her fight, playing with her heart, which was very important for us as a team, which will be important tomorrow as well, because she's really added that edge to who we are as a team.

"My respect for Katie is huge. If you are loyal to a club for 11 years and you give your absolute everything to a club, I think it's very rare nowadays.

"She's been a leader for the team and the trophies that she's won, she's done so much, she's a legend of the club."

Arsenal travel to Liverpool on Saturday as they aim to secure second place in the WSL on their first visit to Anfield for 13 years.

The game will also be England winger Beth Mead's last before leaving the club, with Spain defender Laia Codina and Netherlands midfielder Victoria Pelova also departing in the summer.

"If you take away Katie McCabe and someone else has to go in and bring the exact same thing, that's not possible," Slegers added.

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Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Liverpool have confirmed defenders Gemma Bonner and Gemma Evans will leave the club at the end of the season.

Bonner captained the Reds to successive Women's Super League titles in 2013 and 2014 and was in her second spell at the club.

The 34-year-old is Liverpool's all-time record appearance holder in the WSL era, having played 186 games and is considered a club legend.

A dressing room at the Kirkby Academy has been named after Bonner and she netted a memorable brace in a 4-3 victory over Chelsea in May 2024.

Injury disrupted her game time this season, meaning she featured just 10 times under manager Gareth Taylor.

Wales international Evans joined from Manchester United in 2024 and has made 38 appearances.

The 29-year-old has helped the club reach back-to-back FA Cup semi-finals.

BBC Sport reported last week that WSL 2 side Newcastle United are in talks to sign Evans.

Both players will be celebrated by the club at Anfield on Saturday in their final WSL game of the season against Arsenal (13:00 BST).

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Tottenham are pursuing Aston Villa forward Kirsty Hanson in the summer transfer window.

Scotland international Hanson is the second highest scorer in the Women's Super League this season, netting 12 goals and providing one assist in 21 matches.

She worked with Spurs manager Martin Ho during his time as assistant coach at Manchester United.

The 28-year-old signed a contract extension with Aston Villa last year, meaning she is tied to the club until June 2027.

On Thursday, Tottenham boss Ho said "numerous signings have been made" already and he hopes to add more depth and experience to his squad.

Hanson has scored 18 goals in 71 matches for Aston Villa and could add to her tally in Saturday's final WSL game of the season at London City Lionesses (13:00 BST).

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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London City Lionesses manager Eder Maestre says Natalia Arroyo is a "very important person in his life" and he will thank her when they face each other in their final Women's Super League game of the season on Saturday.

Aston Villa boss Arroyo will reunite with Maestre, who was her assistant at former club Real Sociedad for three seasons, when they travel to Bromley this weekend.

"I spent maybe some of my best years in my professional career with her. It was amazing. She is a friend and I'm very excited to face her," said Maestre.

"I really appreciate all the things and all the information that was around me. She put me in a good place to gain my contract with CD Tenerife Femenino.

"It's something that I am always going to be very pleased about and I am going to take advantage of the situation to say thank you for her in front of everybody."

Maestre says Arroyo is doing "different things" at Villa than she was at Real Sociedad so Saturday's encounter will prove to be a challenge.

London City Lionesses have had a steady debut campaign in the WSL and sit four points above Aston Villa in seventh place.

"I know her very well. We have to be ready but I think Aston Villa has this kind of entity. They manage the game quite well," added Maestre.

"I can see some recognisable patterns. It's going to be very exciting. For me, it's going to be a very special experience facing her this Saturday."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Everton interim manager Scott Phelan says he has had no discussions with the club about his future in the role.

Phelan took over following Brian Sorensen's sacking in February and oversaw three successive victories in the Women's Super League immediately afterwards.

The Toffees currently sit eighth in the table as they prepare for their final game of the season against bottom club Leicester City.

"Nothing to report in terms of things that are more long term, but in the short term, we're happy with how we've done so far," said Phelan.

"I've really enjoyed it. Obviously the decision is a club one but it's definitely something that I've enjoyed and the staff have.

"It's been an amazing experience and an amazing opportunity which I'm really fortunate to have had.

"We feel like we've made an impression. We feel like we've ticked off the obstacles that were set. We'll see where that goes moving forward."

Whatever his position is in the future, Phelan hopes the club will build more stability next season after a disruptive campaign.

Asked what the club will be aiming for next season, he said: "One of my suggestions would probably be finding a greater sense of identity amongst the group.

"One of the first things I noticed was probably a little bit of uncertainty around how we play and what it stands for. That's something any group needs to understand before they can start to develop and push forward."

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London City Lionesses confirmed that Julia Roddar, Wassa Sangare, Maddi Wilde and Gesa Marashi will leave the club at the conclusion of their contracts and loan agreements this summer.

Swedish midfielder Roddar played a big part in London City's promotion from Women's Super League Two, playing 16 games across all competitions for London City last season.

Defender, Wassa Sangare will return to parent club OL Lyonnes at the conclusion of her season-long loan spell.

Full-back Maddi Wilde will also leave the club. After initially arriving at London City on loan, she penned a permanent deal with London City in the summer of 2024 and was a key part of London City's promotion-winning season.

Midfielder Gesa Marashi joined London City in the summer of 2024 after progressing through Arsenal's Professional Game Academy.

The club will show their appreciation for departing players after the full-time whistle at Saturday's match against Aston Villa.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Tottenham Hotspur FC

Tottenham midfielder Olga Ahtinen has signed a new long-term contract with the club.

The 28-year-old joined in 2023 and has gone on to make 55 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals.

The Finland international missed three months between November 2023 and January 2024 due to a knee injury but helped the squad reach the FA Cup final.

Under manager Martin Ho - who joined Tottenham last summer - Ahtinen has featured 19 times.

"I'm happy that I get to be a part of the journey that we're on," said Ahtinen.

"This season we've taken steps in the way we play. Our day-to-day life has been good and challenging. It's the right place for me to become a better footballer.

"The things that we're doing on a daily basis really show that we're going to be able to compete. We just want to get better every day."