Inside Man City’s quest to build a ‘winning machine’ as WSL champions prepare for first title defence in a decade

City have done that at left-back, adding Charles and Wamser after Leila Ouahabi’s departure, and with Mead in the forward areas, following Kerolin’s move to Barcelona. Otherwise, Jeglertz is banking on bigger seasons from players already at the club.

Risa Shimizu, who spent last year on loan at Liverpool, will be asked to provide depth at full-back, while more impactful seasons will be anticipated from both Sydney Lohmann and Grace Clinton. Neither hit the heights expected after joining City last summer, due to niggling injuries but also an inability to grab opportunities with both hands. Fowler, meanwhile, is one to watch in her first full season back after an ACL injury, having shown flashes of her brilliance upon returning in February.

There is versatility in the forward line, with Mead, Fowler, Vivianne Miedema, Lauren Hemp, Aoba Fujino and Iman Beney all able to play a variety of roles, with centre-forward among them for several of those names, meaning recruiting someone just to sit behind Shaw in the pecking order all season is not exactly necessary.

First professional contracts have been signed by talented academy players this summer, too, in Sacha Lewis, Amelia Oldroyd and Aoibhe Brennan, with Mayzee Davies, a senior Wales international who penned hers last year, someone who could potentially become a depth piece this season.

Then, at the top of the pecking order, the key names remain, with the likes of Shaw, Miedema, Greenwood, Hemp, Kerstin Casparij, Jade Rose and Yui Hasegawa making up one of the best starting line-ups in the WSL.