Club: Chelsea
Position: Midfielder
Price: £5.0m
Last Season Points Tally: 42
One of the most promising talents plying their trade in Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL), Maika Hamano has grown leaps and bounds in recent times.
A versatile player who is capable of playing in multiple positions, the Japanese international could be a crucial component for Chelsea, especially after having lost key club stalwarts during the close season.
Hamano appeared in four league matches for the Blues last season, with her only BWSL goal coming in the opening day 2-1 triumph over eventual champions Manchester City before being sent out on loan to the other side of London to Tottenham Hotspur during the January transfer window, where she gained valuable experience after featuring in 10 matches.
Earlier this year, the 22-year-old scored a stunning winning goal in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final for Nadeshiko Japan to help them reclaim the continental title after defeating Australia in their own backyard.
That has already proven to be one of the highlights of her fledgling career, having also picked up the Golden Ball award at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in 2022.
Hamano marked her return to Chelsea from her loan spell by finding the back of the net in a 7-0 win against Auckland FC in their pre-season friendly, signalling that with the right amount of trust from the coaching staff, she could well be set for a breakout BWSL campaign.
For Fantasy players, at £5.0m, Hamano could prove to be an absolute bargain for a player who has a proven track record of a good start to the season, and it could once again be the case as Chelsea kick off their campaign versus Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, September 5.
Having accumulated 42 points over the course of the previous season, she could very well surpass that total in 2026/27 as the clock ticks down on a brand new expanded season.
