The top 10 most valuable Women’s Super League players ranked, ft Alessia Russo and Sam Kerr | OneFootball

Despite the fact that there’s a Women’s World Cup on the horizon, English football fans are already getting excited about the forthcoming Women’s Super League season.

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A flurry of high-profile transfers such as Alessia Russo’s move to Arsenal, Vicky Losada to Brighton & Hove Albion, and Jill Roord to Manchester City have taken place early in the transfer window. However, will these players be able to stop Chelsea from snatching a fifth consecutive title?

While a healthy portion of WSL players are currently competing in Australia and New Zealand, Soccerdonna has compiled a list of the ten WSL players who are considered to be the ‘most valuable’.

These names include England captain Leah Williamson, Netherlands star Vivianne Miedema and Jamaican striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw.

10 Lauren Hemp: £236,000

Manchester City winger Lauren Hemp has claimed the tenth spot on the list as she is reportedly worth €275,000 (£236,000).

Having signed with the Blues from Bristol City in 2018, the 22-year-old has clocked up 81 appearances during her time in the WSL, and has bagged a total of 30 goals for City.

Gareth Taylor will be keen to pin down the forward this coming season, as Hemp’s contract is due to run out in the summer.

However, with Champions League football not being a possibility until the 2024/25 season, could we soon see her tearing up the pitch elsewhere?

9 Lauren James: £236,000

Also allegedly valued at €275,000 (£236,000) is breakout Chelsea star, Lauren James.

Called the ‘most exciting’ player since Kelly Smith by former England Lioness Karen Carney, James signed with Emma Hayes from Manchester United in the summer of 2021.

With wicked pace and creative vision, James has become one of Hayes’ reliable forwards, and has made 33 appearances in all competitions for the Blues so far.

Last season, her efforts impressed England head honcho Sarina Wiegman and earned her a spot on the plane to this year’s Women’s World Cup.

If you’re not acquainted with the 21-year-old, then it’s time to get introduced. This woman is a generational talent.

8 Guro Reiten: £249,000

Winger for The Blues since 2019, and a crucial member of Norway’s international squad, Guro Reiten has reportedly been valued at €290,000 (£249,000).

The 28-year-old kickstarted her WSL career in 2019 when she signed at Kingsmeadow for a reported £12,000, and played 23 games across all competitions under Hayes.

In the 2022/23 season, she often took up the position as a left wing-back and bagged 11 goals for Chelsea.

Having played her part in her country's 2022 EURO campaign, Reiten is currently in New Zealand for the Women's World Cup.

7 Jill Roord: £249,000

Return of the Roord. The midfielder confirmed earlier this summer that she would be returning to the WSL, and has been tagged with being worth a reported €290,000 (£249,000).

However, this isn’t Roord’s first rodeo in English football, as the 26-year-old previously plied her trade in the league with Arsenal between 2019 and 2021.

After a two-year stint at VfL Wolfsburg, the Dutchwoman is ready to take Manchester City to the top — and hopefully help them qualify for the Women’s Champion’s League next season, too.

6 Leah Williamson: £257,500

England skipper Leah Williamson has been valued as the joint-sixth ‘most valuable’ player in the WSL at €300,000 (£257,500).

Having joined Arsenal in 2006 aged nine, Williamson has been loyal to the Gunners ever since, and has made a total of 136 appearances for her childhood club.

The defender is, unfortunately, missing out on the Women’s World Cup this summer after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a WSL match in April.

The 26-year-old is not expected to be back on the field towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign, but we could still see the Lioness leading the Gunners again at some point next season.

5 Bunny Shaw: £257,500

Jamaican international Bunny Shaw also sits in sixth place with an estimated worth of €300,000 (£257,500).

Having signed for City from Bordeaux in the 2021/22 season, the striker became a firm fixture of the WSL side after Ellen White announced her retirement.

A prolific goalscorer, Shaw netted 31 goals across all competitions last season and came second to Rachel Daly in the Golden Boot race.

Like many of her City teammates, the 25-year-old is currently preparing to help her nation claim glory at the Women’s World Cup this summer.

However, the Reggae Girlz have been seeded into a tough group alongside Brazil, France and Panama. Will Shaw be the difference?

4 Beth Mead: £279,000

Worth a reported €325,000 (£279,000), all eyes are currently on Beth Mead to make a return to women’s football next season.

After lighting up for England during the 2022 EURO campaign and scooping second place in the Ballon d’Or Feminin, the 28-year-old suffered a torn ACL in November 2022.

It was a race against time for the forward to make a miraculous recovery for the Women’s World Cup, but Wiegman decided the summer tournament was too soon for Mead to return.

While her Arsenal teammate, Williamson, won’t be gracing the WSL until late in the season, it’s possible that we could see the Whitby-born baller playing WSL matches as soon as the start of next season.

3 Alessia Russo: £279,000

The new golden girl at Arsenal, Russo, has been reportedly valued at €325,000 (£279,000) alongside new teammate, Mead.

The 24-year-old England Lioness signed for the Gunners earlier this month on a free transfer from United, where she spent three years and made 46 appearances in all competitions.

The striker is currently in Australia experiencing her first-ever Women’s World Cup, but faces a battle with Aston Villa's Rachel Daly for the position of starting striker.

2 Vivianne Miedema: £318,000

Vivianne Miedema of Arsenal

It’s no surprise that the Netherlands’ top scorer, Miedema, is one of the highest-valued players in the WSL to date.

Deservingly, the 27-year-old has been tagged with a reported worth of €370,000 (£318,000).

The Dutch star began her career at Arsenal under Pedro Martínez Losa in 2017 and scored her first goal for the club in October that year against Everton.

Since joining the North London team, Miedema has made 110 appearances for The Gooners and has bagged an insane 126 goals.

Like teammate and partner Mead, the striker is currently sidelined after suffering from a torn ACL.

However, recent social media updates show that Miedema is working hard on her rehab, and is expected to be back in form at some point next season.

1 Sam Kerr: £430,000

The most valuable women’s football star currently playing in the WSL is Australia and Chelsea striker, Sam Kerr.

According to Soccerdonna, the 29-year-old has a market value of €500,000 (£430,000), which also makes her the second most valuable player in the world. She is second only to Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas.

The Matildas captain transferred to Kingsmeadow in 2020 after spending four years playing in the NWSL and made her debut against Reading in January.

Women’s FA Cups, and has earned herself the Key to the City of Perth as well as the WSL Player of the Season 2021/22 award.