Chelsea Women have completed two major signings ahead of the new Women's Super League season, landing Italy's Giulia Dragoni and Japan's Manaka Matsukubo. The pair are among seven top transfers highlighted in a report from The Athletic as the league prepares to kick off this weekend.
Chelsea finished third in the final 2025 WSL table with 49 points from 22 games, six points behind champions Manchester City. Their recent form of four wins and a draw shows they ended the campaign strongly, scoring 44 goals and conceding 20. The club fought off competition from other Champions League sides to secure Matsukubo's signature.
Who are Chelsea's new signings?
Giulia Dragoni is a 19-year-old Italy international midfielder who joins with a remarkable pedigree. She made her senior debut for Inter Milan at 16 and signed for Barcelona in 2023. After a loan spell at Roma where she scored eight goals and provided four assists in 29 appearances, she returned to become the first foreign female player to live and train at La Masia. Dragoni then helped Barcelona win the 2024 Women's Champions League and claimed the Italian Golden Girl award that same year. She has already made over 100 senior appearances for club and country.
Manaka Matsukubo is a 22-year-old Japan international who arrives as the 2025 NWSL midfielder of the year. She scored 11 goals last season, the most of any midfielder in the league, and is the youngest player in NWSL history to score a hat-trick. Described as cunning and intelligent despite her 5ft 1in frame, Matsukubo is versatile enough to operate as a No 10 or a central striker. Chelsea's successful pursuit adds significant firepower to their attack.
What did the players say about their moves?
Giulia Dragoni offered insight into her mindset upon joining Chelsea. "Positive mind, always," she said. "My mom always says positive things attract more positivity." Her attitude and proven track record at the highest level suggest she is ready to make an immediate impact. You can see how she fits into the squad on our squad page.
Which other WSL clubs made key signings?
The Athletic's report highlighted five other significant moves across the league. Everton signed Australian striker Holly McNamara, the 2022 A-League young footballer of the year. McNamara claimed consecutive golden boots in 2024-25 and 2025-26 for Melbourne City, helping them secure three straight titles. She is a versatile, fast, and clinical finisher, though she has recovered from three ACL injuries before turning 21.
Liverpool secured 20-year-old Japanese youth international Mao Itamura from Feyenoord in July. Itamura scored eight goals and provided six assists in 20 matches last season, helping Feyenoord qualify for Europe and earning Eredivisie Player of the Year honors. Manchester United added Spanish youth international left-back Andrea Medina, a powerful and explosive defender who can also play centre-back. Arsenal signed 19-year-old German winger Lisa Baum, who plays in memory of her late brother and uses her pace on either flank.
How do these signings change the WSL landscape?
These seven arrivals bring a blend of youth, proven quality, and international pedigree to the league. For Chelsea, adding a Champions League winner in Dragoni and a league MVP in Matsukubo addresses the six-point gap to Manchester City at the top of the standings. The new season begins on Friday with London City Lionesses hosting Manchester United, while champions Manchester City face Birmingham on Sunday. Chelsea's own campaign will be shaped by how quickly their new stars adapt. The full fixture list for the title race is available on our fixtures page.
Giulia Dragoni's first training session with her new teammates made a strong impression. Teammate Anna Josendal recalled, "In the first session, she just scored two bangers. I was like, 'OK, yeah, you’re good'." Chelsea Women begin their 2026-27 WSL season aiming to convert their strong end to last term, and their positive goal difference of +24, into a sustained title challenge.
