You’ve spent countless hours fine-tuning your team and look set for the Barclays WSL and WSL2 to kick off this weekend, starting with Watford v Burnley & London City Lionesses vs Manchester United.
However, the closer the deadline gets, the more people like to tinker and tweak their teams to try and get those marginal gains over their friends, family, work colleagues and general league rivals.
So, luckily for you, we are going to highlight five players who could be major differentials for you going into the weekend. As a disclaimer, for players to have been eligible for this list, they must have less than a 3% ownership in the game, so they really are going to push you up the league when they bring in the points.
Aoba Fujino: £7m - 2% ownership
An almost ever-present for Manchester City when fit and an obvious threat in the final third playing for the champions. So, to see Aoba Fujino being owned by less than 3% of players is mind-boggling.
The Japanese international has been a huge player for City under several managers since she joined in the summer of 2024. Fujino was a key cog in Andrée Jeglertz’s side who romped home to a domestic double, winning the BWSL title as well as the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
Fujino put up eight goal involvements in the league last season in only 13 starts, but as City attempt to defend their crown, expect her to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. Her spot in the side will have taken a recent boost as well, following the departure of Kerolin and the unfortunate injury picked up by teammate Vivianne Miedema, who will miss the beginning of the season.
Kathleen McGovern: £6.5m - 1% ownership
As a number nine at Newcastle United, is there any better way to prepare for the new season and endear yourself to the fans than scoring a hat-trick? If there is, then we’re still searching for it, but that is exactly what Kathleen McGovern did during Newcastle’s final pre-season friendly against Burnley last weekend.
While pre-season friendlies are far from the be-all and end-all when it comes to judging players, scoring three a week out from the BWSL2 beginning and against a fellow league opponent was very impressive from the Scotland international.
The Lasses went strong in the transfer window to recruit for a promotion charge, and bringing in McGovern, who netted 51 goals in 64 games for Hibernian, could be their shrewdest piece of business.
Playing as the main striker in a side now experienced in the BWSL2 and expected to be fighting at the top end of the table while having an ownership of 1%, what is not to love?
Marisa Olislagers: £5.5m - 2% ownership
If you’re after consistent clean sheets and know exactly what you’re getting from a team, then this may be a swerve for you. However, if you like fun players who can provide attacking returns as well as clean sheets, please pick up Marisa Olislagers.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Olislagers was part of a hugely successful side last term who managed to reach the FA Cup final and finished in a respectable fifth in the league, taking points off both Man City and Arsenal towards the end of the season.
Since her arrival in the league two seasons ago from FC Twente, she’s been an imposing figure in both boxes. The Dutch international has popped up with five goals and five assists, while also contributing to six clean sheets last season alone.
Beth Hepple: £7.5m - 2% ownership
A consistent performer in the BWSL2 and voted into last season’s Team of the Year, despite Durham finishing third bottom, and that’s just a testament to the ability Beth Hepple possesses.
The 2026/27 season will be Hepple’s 13th with the Wildcats in this division, and she’s always been there when called upon by her team. A track record of being deadly from set-pieces, whether that be scoring or assisting, and the experience to know where to be at the right time.
There has only been one season across the previous seven in which Hepple has failed to hit double digits in goal involvements, so while the price of £7.5m is certainly not cheap, you pay for that consistent output and someone central to everything Durham do.
Hannah Cain: £6m - 1% ownership
Some say that going back is never the answer, but Hannah Cain making a return to Everton, who have gone about their summer business quietly yet confidently, just feels right. The Wales international is capable of playing across the front line, having done so for Leicester City, and already has that BWSL experience under her belt.
In two of the past four seasons, Cain has reached five goal involvements in a Foxes side that were consistently at the wrong end of the table, so putting her in an Everton side who have brought in Holly McNamara, you can expect her numbers, mainly assists, to go up.
At just £6m, Cain offers an inviting route into this intriguing Everton attack, and just one attacking return would be massive for your team given her low 1% ownership
