Women’s Super League 2024-25 previews No 7: Leicester

Guardian writers’ predicted position: 7th (NB: this is not necessarily Sophie Downey’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)

Last season’s position: 10th

The plan

Leicester City will have hoped to have come into this season with a bit more stability than previous campaigns but the repercussions of Willie Kirk’s sacking back in April for an inappropriate relationship with a player have taken a while for the club to resolve. The Foxes finished their third WSL campaign in 10th position despite positive signs on the pitch across the campaign and there is no doubt that the turbulence behind the scenes affected their form.

It has been very much a summer of new beginnings at the King Power with the recruitment of Amandine Miquel. Under their new French manager, there will be hope that they can build significantly on the positives from last year with the core of the playing squad remaining intact. Fresh faces have arrived with Miquel opting to put her faith in younger players while the Jamaica international Chantelle Swaby brings more international experience.

Leicester embarked on their first pre-season tour to Australia where they took part in the Perth International Cup. Two strong contests saw them beaten by Manchester City on penalties before earning a confident 5-2 victory over West Ham. “It was good to have a long time to get to know the players,” Miquel says. “Anytime you travel with the team for such a long period is good because you’ve got a lot of off time to have informal conversations with the players and staff. I feel like it has brought the team together.”

As for the WSL, a difficult trip to Liverpool followed by a home game against Arsenal presents a potentially tricky start to the season. Miquel is aware of the challenge ahead and refuses to state where she wants her team to finish. “I’m not giving anyone a specific number!” she says. “I’m not risking that. Not too high because I signed a three-season contract – let’s imagine I finished fourth, that’s horrible because then what can I do better? For me what’s important is to never go backwards from season to season.”

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The manager

When you ask any Leicester player what they think of their new coach, “funny” is one of the first words that comes to mind. There is no doubt that when you sit down with her, Amandine Miquel’s sense of humour is palpable but that should not obscure her drive to succeed. After time at Bergerac Périgord and Chamois Niortais she took the helm at Stade de Reims where she spent seven years, guiding them to promotion to the Première League. At Reims, she was more than just a manager due to lack of resources. “I’m very excited because for the last eight seasons, I’ve had almost four jobs and still got results,” she says. “Now I’m thinking if I just focus on the field I can get even better results. Or maybe not and it means I’m not a manager – this is the moment of truth.”

Off-field picture

King Power brought Leicester City WFC into the fold with the men’s club in 2020, enabling the women to become a full-time outfit and the owners have made their backing clear. Belvoir Drive is a state-of-the-art training facility that is now the women’s home, having previously been used by the men, and the club have worked to ensure that the players have the resources they need to reach their potential. Their player budget is still less than some around the league but they have a strong recruitment system that has seen them bring in multiple exciting signings.

Breakout star

The arrival of Ruby Mace at the King Power appears to be a sensible move for both club and player. The 21-year-old midfielder is widely considered as one of England’s best young talents. She broke on to the scene at Arsenal but soon secured a contract with Manchester City, where she found her minutes limited. A loan spell at Leicester back in 2023 gave her the feel for the Foxes and she chose to return on a permanent basis despite offers from elsewhere. Given regular minutes, the England Under-23 star has the potential to develop into one of the best number 6s in the game due to a combination of her combative presence and strong technical ability.

A-lister

There is no doubt that the squad is brimming with talent from Janina Leitzig in goal to the two Japanese players, Saori Takarada and Yuka Momiki, who arrived in January. The player who caught everyone’s eye, however, was the Finland international Jutta Rantala. The 24-year-old arrived from Vittsjö last summer and made an instant impression on the WSL. She slotted into Leicester’s midfield instantly adding impetus to their attacking play. Six goals and five assists were a notable return for a player in their first season in a league which is typically difficult to adjust to and she was shortlisted for the WSL Player of the Year award as a result.

This summer’s business

Miquel has opted to bring in younger, emerging talent over the course of the summer to add depth across the pitch. Belgian defender Sari Kees has joined her compatriot Janice Cayman while bringing Swaby to England was a notable acquisition. As mentioned previously, Mace returns as does the young full-back Asmita Ale who signed permanently from Tottenham after spending the second half of last season at the King Power. Miquel has also brought two of her players with her from France – forwards Noémie Mouchon and Shana Chossenotte played significant roles at Reims in the last few seasons.

Where do they play?

Leicester have played most of their home league games at the King Power since achieving promotion back in 2021. On the rare occasion that there is a clash with the men’s schedule, they have an alternate venue in Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium, which is less ideal. The club have made a consistent effort to build their supporter base around the city of Leicester and do outreach in the community but attendances will need to improve as the team continue to grow.