New star signings pushing London City Lionesses to the next level

New star signings pushing London City Lionesses to the next levelThe first international break of the 2026/27 women's season is upon us which gives us a chance to take stock of the Women's Super League. With five games played so far and off the back of a 6-1 thrashing away to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday we have to ask, are London City Lionesses City Lionesses now ready for a title challenge?

>After London City Lionesses ended the 2025/26 sixth, where they lost 11 times and finished 29 points off the title winners, Eder Maestre's team are currently looking massively improved this season, and have already handily dispatched two of the teams that finished ahead them last campaign – Manchester United and Spurs.

>Now, five games into the new campaign, London City sit just three points off the top spot.

>Big transfers having instant impact

>Of course, London City Lionesses are in this position after heavy investment from billionaire Michele Kang.

>Last summer, promotion from the Championship (now known as WSL 2) saw the team bringing in 17 new players, before a further two arrived in the winter window. Unsurprisingly, the team didn't gel straight away which cost promotion-winning manager Jocelyn Prêcheur his job in December with Spaniard Maestre joining early into 2026.

>To build on that, eight new arrivals came this summer (so that's 27 new players in total since arriving in the top flight) but they included some far bigger names: Mary Earps, Kadidiatou Diani, Rosa Kafaji, Mapi León, and, of course, Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas.

>Joining a team that had a year to settle, new arrivals are already making a big difference. Diani, who was acquired after what were no doubt intense and gruelling negotiations with sister club OL Lyonnes, has five goal involvements (two goals, three assists) in just three games. Indeed, Diani joins Signe Gaupset of Tottenham as the only player to reach three assists so far.

>The defensive ranks have been bolstered by León, with only three players having more interceptions (11) than the Spaniard who also ranks joint-third for crosses (29).

>Then there's Putellas who, after a few games getting used to football England, is now showing her true class. The 32-year-old has four goal involvements in her last four games; an assist against Charlton Athletic, a first goal for London City at home to Brighton, before then bagging a brace in the thrashing of Spurs. A Putellas who has found her feet in the WSL is a scary prospect for the rest of the division.

>Generous schedule

>If the 2025/26 season taught us anything, it's that a lighter schedule in the WSL works wonders. Manchester City showed efficiency in having complete focus on the league while crosstown rivals United struggled with added Champions League football that saw their league form nosedive towards the end of the season.

>London City meanwhile have only the Players Cup to worry about, allowing Maestre to rotate his big squad, with no player having started all seven games for the club in all competitions this season.

>The likes of Earps, Kafaji, Elena Linari, Nikita Parris, and Isobel Goodwin have been given a chance to shine in that competition but there are plenty of clubs in the WSL who would love to have that kind of quality in their squad for every game.

>In a way, a lighter schedule for London City Lionesses could mean that this year is their best chance to win the WSL. Manchester City, Chelsea, and already-adrift Arsenal have Champions League football to worry about.

>However, should London City keep up their current form, they'll be joining the European elite as well (something that may well challenge Kang's multi-club ownership model) and then they'll discover just how difficult it is to fight in the WSL and against Europe's elite.