'A crazy decision' - Manchester City and Chelsea in transfer tug-of-war for 'best striker in the WSL' Bunny Shaw

The Jamaican, affectionately known as Bunny, has been key to City winning the title for the first time in a decade, breaking Chelsea's stranglehold on the league in the process.

The Londoners had won eight of the past nine WSL titles, including six in a row, until City’s intervention this year, sealing success with a game to spare after the chasing pack stumbled in their pursuit.

Not content with that, City stunned The Blues in the Adobe Women's FA Cup semi-final, storming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 to book their place at Wembley, as they look to establish themselves as the new dominant force in English football.

And who would be the star of that victory? None other than Shaw herself, scoring twice to set her side on the road to glory.

”After winning the league, we wanted to take another step, and that’s getting to Wembley to win another one,” she said after the win.

”It was a hard one but we stuck together as a team, we grind like we’ve done all season and that’s the result.”

On the surface, everything looks good, with Shaw set to claim a record third WSL golden boot award this season after 81 WSL goals in 91 games since joining the club in 2021. She has also been named the FWA Women's Footballer of the Year for the second time.

However, remarkably, when City take on Brighton in the FA Cup final live on TNT Sports and HBO Max on May 31, Shaw could be bidding farewell to the club with her contract set to expire at the end of the campaign.

With no new deal signed, Shaw has been heavily linked with a shock move to rivals Chelsea in what would, undoubtedly, be the biggest move of the summer transfer window.

Reports from the BBC, Guardian and The Athletic all suggested that contract talks over an extension to remain at City had broken down between the club and the 29-year-old.

Spying an opportunity, the reports claim that Chelsea have made a lucrative offer to Shaw, meeting her proposed demands.

These rumours prompted Chelsea fans at the semi-final to chant ”We’ll see you next year” at the player during her match-winning display for City.

Speaking to TNT Sports about the potentially seismic transfer, Anita Asante, Fara Williams, Lucy Ward and Ellen White all had their say about the ‘crazy’ and ‘incredible’ situation regarding Shaw’s future.

”I'm kind of still in shock that Manchester City haven't nailed on Bunny Shaw for next season,” said former Arsenal, Chelsea and England star Asante.

”She's an all-rounded kind of centre-forward, can score goals left foot, right foot, her head, has improved her link-up play and is a player that I think they could have continued to keep building around.”

Ward, who played for Leeds and commentates for TNT Sports, believes City could and should be doing more to keep their star player.

”I think a lot of it is agent speak at this time,” she said. ”But obviously, she's trying to get the most money and I don't blame her.

”She's at the prime of her career. I think there's absolutely zero excuse for City not paying it for a start.

”I think it's important because they're built on her goals. I just think it's an absolute no-brainer that you tie her down.”

These sentiments were echoed by another former City striker in White, who led the line at the club as Shaw was making her breakthrough.

”In terms of Bunny Shaw, she's the best striker in the WSL,” she said. ”So for her to [possibly] leave Man City and go to a rival club is absolutely incredible.

”I think she deserves to be given the world really in the sense of the goal contributions that she's given for Man City over the last five seasons.”

Williams questioned how City found themselves in a situation to lose Shaw from a position of strength and wondered what message it would send if she was allowed to leave.

”As a neutral looking in, I think it's a crazy decision, the fact that Bunny Shaw has been able to run a contract down and she's now out of contract at the end of the season.

”There's no one like Bunny Shaw that gets you or guarantees you that amount of goals. The fact they're prepared to lose her, knowing they're going into a new competition next year, Champions League, for me, it's risky.

”Hopefully, they can do something about it, for the club's sake, because, when you lose one of your best players, I'm not sure what kind of ambition or direction it kind of shows that the club are going in.”

 

An opportunity to sign one of the best players in the league as well as potentially destabilise a direct rival is one that is too good to pass up as Chelsea hope to retake their crown as the queens of women’s football in this country.

A relatively disappointing campaign for The Blues saw them successfully defend the League Cup, but in addition to the FA Cup defeat to City, they also crashed out of the UEFA Champions League to rivals Arsenal and could well finish third in the WSL behind The Gunners as the league campaign concludes.

Head coach Sonia Bompastor faces a summer rebuild with club legend Millie Bright announcing her retirement recently, as well as change at the top with Phil Radley coming in as sporting director mid-season to replace former head of women’s football Paul Green.

The club may also say goodbye to icon Sam Kerr and one-time record signing Mayra Ramirez, which would leave them light in attack and meaning a move for Shaw would make even more sense. 

”Obviously with Chelsea, with Sam Kerr potentially leaving and Ramirez potentially going as well, they to have a very good goalscorer that's proven straight away to score goals and that's what Bunny would give you,” said White.

”I don't know at the start of next season who's going to be the number nine for Man City or for Chelsea, but it's going to be a really exciting summer.

”I would be doing everything I can if I was Man City but, on the flip side, I'd do everything I can for Chelsea if I wanted Bunny as well.”

Asante thinks a move for Shaw would be a statement of intent for The Blues if they are to propel themselves back to the summit of football.

”You would think if Sam's going, it makes sense for Chelsea to go after a player like Bunny Shaw, because I think finding world-class, top-level strikers in the game is really difficult, to recruit players of that level, and she's right here on the doorstep in the league, a player we get to see week in, week out.

”From a Chelsea standpoint, I think for the fans and the disappointment of the way they finished the season, it's really important that they can bring the best players and retain the best players at their club so that they can go on next season and be back where they want to be.”

Having finally reached the WSL mountaintop and with a prospective double on the cards, City will not want to rest on their laurels and take advantage of Chelsea’s apparent period of transition.

Following his arrival in the dugout last summer, Andree Jeglertz has transformed City from nearly women to champions.

Boasting a formidable side led by captain Alex Greenwood and featuring the likes of Lauren Hemp, Sam Coffey and Vivianne Miedema, City are primed to lead the charge both at home and Europe going forward.

However, losing Shaw will undoubtedly impact their ambitions, with her goals and all-round contribution not exactly easy to replace.

”It's pretty difficult in the market at the moment to find a goalscorer of her profile and to be proven in the WSL,” added White.

”I'm assuming behind the scenes Man City have obviously got their eyes on someone else in the transfer market that could fill Bunny's shoes.

”It might make a U-turn, she might stay. It might just be rumours out there to get people talking and maybe for her to have an increased price in what she wants, length of contract as well.

”But for me personally, Man City have to keep her to continue and evolve and continue the race for continued trophies, the WSL, domestic trophies and obviously going for the Champions League as well.”

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