Captain Sam Tierney, Leicester City's longest-serving player, extended her contract until 2028 in July, despite the club's relegation to Women's Super League 2 (WSL 2) last May. Fourteen players left the club this summer, including nine who featured in the WSL playoff defeat to Charlton Athletic. Goalkeeper Janina Leitzig joined Manchester United, while Hannah Cain, Noemie Mouchon, and Jutta Rantala signed for Everton.
With just two wins in 22 matches last season and a goal difference of -41, the 2023-2024 campaign was disastrous for Leicester's women's team. The club had to rebuild quickly, allowing departing players to leave on compensated transfers, with the funds reinvested in the squad. While some players chose to stay, Tierney decided to continue. "I’m not the type to want to change clubs. Since I arrived at Leicester, I’ve built an authentic connection with the club," she told BBC Sport. "I’ve always wanted to succeed, and we’ve had ups and downs, but I feel like now is the time we can rebuild." Tierney, who joined Leicester in 2020 from Sheffield United, has worked under seven different managers and helped the club earn promotion to the WSL in 2021. She also reached the 2024 FA Cup Women’s semifinals. "Leicester is a family club, and we’re simply going through a period of change. I’m very proud to wear this shirt," she added. The 27-year-old midfielder, who has made 151 appearances for the Foxes, hopes this season will mark the start of a new era for the club.
A gradual rebuild to avoid yo-yoing
With six new signings and three players extending their contracts, Leicester is gearing up for its first WSL 2 match against Sheffield United on September 6. Tierney emphasizes that "changes won't happen overnight," but the club can become "sustainable" in the WSL and avoid the yo-yo club status it has experienced in recent years. "I'm not happy if I don't feel like I've finished something," she explains. "The direction the club wants to take and the necessary changes to get there suit me. My main goal is to make sure people feel the same attachment to the club as I do and want it to progress." She adds: "When I leave the club, I want Leicester to be in a better position than when I arrived." Tierney also highlighted the importance of creating an exciting, hard-to-beat team that surprises. "We want to be a team that plays football, that makes an impression, and that is formidable. Of course, the goal is to move up, but it has to be done sustainably. If in a year we're in a worse situation, it won't make sense."
A Fresh Start for the Women's Team
Leicester has endured difficult seasons, with criticism surrounding the future of the women's team, including the use of King Power Stadium and a possible budget reduction. However, the club quickly responded by facilitating the departures of players wishing to leave, allowing reinvestment in recruitment. Tierney acknowledges that "it's not always recognized" how much difficult seasons can weigh on everyone involved. This season therefore represents an opportunity to start afresh. "As a player, you give everything, but things don't always go as planned," she confides. Currently preparing for the pre-season with matches against Rugby Borough, Manchester United, and Liverpool, Leicester seems determined to turn the page. Tierney says she feels "a change": "You can see there's been a period of reflection, an assessment, and you can sense the direction we want to take. We've changed. Players change all the time, every team goes through that, but it's important that those arriving share the same motivation and commitment." She concludes: "We want to be a different Leicester, and it's time to change the narrative about who we are and how we're perceived."
Antoine Seville · 17 août 2026 · 4 min de lecture
