Manchester City are targeting a historic league and FA Cup Double after securing their first Women's Super League title in a decade and persuading star striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw to perform a dramatic U-turn and extend her contract. Shaw, who scored 21 goals in 22 league games, had indicated she would leave due to more lucrative offers from other clubs, but senior management from the men's team intervened to ensure her demands were met, keeping her at the club for another four years.
Shaw's decision was announced during Monday's trophy parade in Manchester, where thousands of fans celebrated the title win. The club's midfielders Laura Blindkilde Brown and Kerstin Casparij have expressed the team's hunger for more success, with the FA Cup final against Brighton on Sunday presenting the opportunity for a first two-trophy season since 2019 and the club's first FA Cup win since 2020.
Brighton won the league meeting between the sides in April and have been in excellent form since mid-March, but City are confident. 'Because we’ve won silverware, there’s more hunger there to win even more,' Blindkilde Brown said. 'We’ve really built connections in the midfield and every game I’m just improving more and more.'
Casparij, who topped the league assist charts, added: 'To win a Double, after so many years, would be absolutely incredible. That’s definitely a goal we have and we’ll give everything to realise that goal.' City's squad includes four players in the WSL team of the year: Shaw, Yui Hasegawa, Vivianne Miedema and Casparij, and they are aiming to build on their title success by challenging for the Champions League next season.
