Leicester City was relegated from the Women's Super League to the WSL 2 in May, triggering a massive exodus of players. Fourteen footballers left during the summer transfer window, including nine who took part in the playoff defeat to Charlton Athletic.
Among the notable departures were goalkeeper Janina Leitzig, who moved to Manchester United, and forward Hannah Cain, as well as Noemie Mouchon and Jutta Rantala, who joined Everton. This means an important rebuilding process awaits the club, which is seeking to return from the second tier this season.
However, captain Sam Tierney, Leicester's most experienced player, gave important backing to supporters by renewing her contract until 2028 in July. The 27-year-old midfielder has made 151 appearances for the Foxes and has been at the club through both good and bad times.
"I'm not the type to want to abandon the ship. From the moment I arrived at Leicester, I created a genuine connection with the club," Tierney told BBC Sport. "I wanted to succeed and we have had good years where things have gone up and down, but I feel that right now we are at a point where we can rebuild. It's difficult because Leicester, at this moment, has a bit of a bad reputation, but the club is fantastic and so are the people. It's a family-type club and we're just going through a change. I'm very proud to play for Leicester."
Last season was forgettable for Leicester, whose five-year spell in the WSL ended in the same way as their men's team, relegated to the English third division. The women's team managed just two wins in 22 matches and finished with a goal difference of -41, after struggling to score.
This raised concerns about the future of the women's team, with questions about whether they would continue playing at the King Power Stadium and whether their budget would be cut. However, the club acted quickly, allowing players who wanted to leave to do so in exchange for significant fees that were reinvested in the squad.
Only time will tell if it will be enough, but Tierney hopes this is an opportunity to develop a new Leicester that makes people "feel envious" in the future. "When I first arrived at Leicester, we trained in one of the local parks. We weren't at Belvoir Drive where the men were. The progression is incredible," she said.
"I want to make sure that people want to play for Leicester. I want people to stay at Leicester. I want people to feel envious of Leicester. I know that is the potential of this club and we hope to achieve it."
Tierney joined Leicester from Sheffield United in 2020 and has played under seven managers during her time at the club. She was part of the team that achieved promotion to the WSL in 2021 and reached the semi-finals of the Women's FA Cup in 2024.
The midfielder knows that changes "won't happen overnight" but hopes Leicester can become a "sustainable" club in the WSL and not one that goes up and down as it has been recently. "The way I am means I'm not happy if I don't feel I have finished somewhere," Tierney added.
"The direction the club wants to take and the change that is necessary to achieve it, I agree with. Ultimately, my biggest goal is to make sure that people feel the same connection that I have with the club and that they want the club to progress. The moment I leave, I want Leicester to be in a better position than when I arrived."
Leicester's pre-season is underway. They have beaten Rugby Borough, drawn with Manchester United and lost to Liverpool. Six new signings have joined the squad, while three other players renewed their contracts alongside Tierney.
As they prepare for their WSL 2 debut against Sheffield United on 6 September, Tierney says she can feel "a change". "You can see there has been a period of reflection, a review, and you can see the direction we want to take. We can feel it. We have changed," Tierney said.
"Players change all the time, every team goes through that, but it's important that everyone who comes has the same drive and desire to commit. We have those people and it has been quite refreshing. We want to be a different Leicester and it's time to change the narrative about who we are and how people see us."
On a personal level, Tierney hopes this season will be more enjoyable as captain, when the threat of relegation is not a weekly stress. She points out that "it's not always recognised" how difficult those seasons can be for everyone involved at the club.
"It's difficult as a player. You're trying to give your all but things just don't work out," Tierney added. "We want to be an exciting team, we want to be a team with possession, we want to be a team that is difficult to beat and we want to surprise some people. Of course, the goal is promotion. But it has to be done sustainably because if I'm here next year in a worse position, then it doesn't make sense. We're going to make sure we're ready to compete at the highest level of this league, get promoted and stay in the WSL for years."
