Ahead of Barclays Women’s Super League fixture release day on Friday 25 July, we’re taking a look at each of West Ham United women’s team’s opponents for 2025/26. Today we’re analysing… Leicester City.
2024/25 campaign
With five wins from their 22 Barclays Women’s Super League matches, tenth-place Leicester City broke their points tally record in 2024/25.
However, the Foxes’ first win across all competitions came after six games - a narrow 1-0 scoreline at home to Everton on 20 October - which was followed by four straight league defeats. Not being able to build consistency was the story of Leicester’s season, as they failed to chalk up back-to-back victories at any point throughout the campaign.
The Foxes, under the stewardship of Amandine Miquel, who was appointed manager in July 2024, also struggled to find the back of the net, as their 21 goals made them the second-lowest scoring team in the division. That said, five teams conceded more than Leicester in 2024/25, with Liverpool conceding the same amount of goals - 37.
Despite a 5-2 victory over Birmingham City in their final group-stage match in the Subway® Women’s League Cup and going unbeaten with draws against Bristol City and Brighton & Hove Albion, the latter pipped Leicester to the quarter-finals of the competition by a point in Group D.
The Adobe Women’s FA Cup yielded similar fortunes for the Foxes, as they eased past Stoke 4-1 in the round of 32 before falling short against Manchester City.
Transfer business so far
At the time of writing, Leicester are yet to complete their first signing of the summer, having seen two players depart upon the expiration of their contracts.
Lena Petermann left King Power Stadium to join Werder Bremen in her native Germany, having made 20 appearances for the Foxes, while Saori Takarada, after a year-and-a-half at the club, rejoined her former side Cerezo Osaka.
Japan international Takarada struggled for gametime last season, starting only eight WSL fixtures.
One to watch: Asmita Ale
When on loan at Leicester during the second half of 2023/24, Young Lioness Asmita Ale clearly impressed those at the Foxes as she was recruited on a permanent transfer the following summer.
Featuring in 18 WSL matches last term - 15 of those starts - Ale contributed with four assists from left-back and staked her claim as a regular in Miquel's team.
The former Aston Villa defender, who became the first Nepalese footballer to sign a professional contract in England, has represented England at U17, U18 and U19 level.
Played for both: Esmee de Graaf
Netherlands international forward Esmee de Graaf joined West Ham United women’s team in the summer of 2018 and scored one WSL goal in her first season at the Club.
However, she was dealt a blow in her second campaign in east London, suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury before she departed the following summer.
De Graaf subsequently joined Leicester in 2020 where she spent two seasons, scoring twice in 53 appearances.
The 27-year-old netted ten goals in the Eredivisie Women for Feyenoord last term.
Memorable meeting: West Ham 4-0 Leicester City, 2021/22
An emphatic 4-0 success over visiting Leicester City secured West Ham United women’s team their first victory of the 2021/22 season under Olli Harder on Sunday 26 September 2021.
There was lift-off at Chigwell Construction Stadium when Tameka Yallop found the net after 26 minutes, which proved to be the first of three first-half goals. Claudia Walker’s maiden goal for the Club then made it two, before an Ashleigh Plumptre own-goal gave the Irons an unassailable lead at the break.
A second own-goal of the game, this time from Leicester’s Kirstie Levell ten minutes from time, wrapped up the three points in Dagenham.
