Star players from all over the world participate in the Women's Super League, but recently there has been an influx of players from Asia, who are starting to attract attention.
With investment in scouting, increased coverage of global women's football on TV and increased competition in the transfer market, clubs are starting to look further afield for talent.
The Asian market has become increasingly attractive with several subscribers increasing the quality of WSL in January.
South Korean Ji So-yun, who won six league titles with Chelsea, was one of the first Asian players to emerge in the WSL, and was later joined by Japan's Yui Hasegawa, now at Manchester City. Ta.
New additions from Asia are also attracting attention one after another.
Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor, who signed Hasegawa from West Ham in 2022, said: “We're going to see more and more Japanese players and you can see why.”
“Recently we've started to see a little bit of an influx of players. They're very disciplined, they're very coachable, they have a high level of intensity, they have a very good understanding of the game. are different from each other.
“Yui” [Hasegawa] It gives us a lot. She is a very intelligent soccer player. The way she reads the game is second to none. I think she's incredibly talented. ”
“They bring great value to our team.”
Recent players to join the WSL include Liverpool's Fuka Nagano, Tottenham's Wang Xuan, West Ham's Riko Ueki and Leicester City's Saori Takarada and Yuka Momiki.
The most attention-grabbing move was Hinata Miyazawa's move to Manchester United, who had just won the Golden Boot with Japan at last summer's Women's World Cup.
However, it was Nagano who quickly became a fan favorite on Merseyside with his cheeky personality and attempt at 'Scous slang'. More importantly, she has made an impression on the pitch since her arrival in January 2023.
Liverpool manager Matt Beard said: “Fuka reads the game very well. She's a really good football player.''
“If you look at the way Japan plays, they are tactically very clever and technically very good. Because of the Japanese brand of football, the current WSL where teams are playing from the back. What is going on? [it helps] we. “
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes, who signed hugely popular midfielder Chi 10 years ago, said: “It's good to bring diversity into the league,'' adding that it poses different challenges for players. added.
Hayes believes more clubs have the ability to attract talent from further afield than ever before.
For example, West Ham signed Japan international striker Ueki in September, adding three Asian players to their squad.
West Ham manager Rehane Skinner said: “The fact that it's easier to come to the UK is clearly why we've had more Japanese players in the league.''
“Who wouldn't want tactically smart and technically talented players? They've added great value to our team.”
More footage, expert analysts, and better pay
Skinner was aware of Ueki's talent through his experience in international soccer, while Leicester manager Willie Kirk admitted that he met Momiki while scouting his Japan teammate Takarada.
“We weren't necessarily looking for an Asian player. We were looking for a top-class number six and we found it in Takarada. We watched her for about six months in Linköping and I really loved it,” Kirk added.
“We tried to sign her in the summer, but we couldn't agree a contract with Linköping, but we made a pre-contract. I thought she had a great game against Arsenal in the Champions League.”
“As I was watching Takarada more, I started to see Momiki. I thought it was too good an opportunity to turn down. They are both incredibly talented players.”
Easier access to television footage of matches comes despite continuing restrictions in the WSL regarding which players are eligible for international visas.
“Scouting resources have increased dramatically in terms of what we can get from footage,” Kirk added. “We also have two great analysts, which definitely helps us identify players.”
As well as increased footage, improved wages have also changed the landscape of the WSL's transfer market, making continental changes and upheavals more attractive to players.
These factors have led to an influx of Asian talent into the UK, and given the success of recent arrivals, this trend is likely to continue.