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USWNT Abroad: Emily Fox wants every trophy with Arsenal, Chelsea to depend heavily on Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma looks for a breakthrough

With the WSL season drawing near and the next USWNT camp also coming up, GOAL takes a look at what is next for Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Sam Coffey and the other Americans playing abroad.

U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Sam Coffey had long wanted to play professionally overseas. Only a few months after moving from the Portland Thorns to Manchester City, she played her part in helping the club win its first Women’s Super League title in 10 years.

Coffey was among a number of USWNT players featuring in Europe last season. While the NWSL campaign is already deep into its second half, the new WSL season is still yet to get underway.

With World Cup qualifying set to arrive later this year, national-team selections can be influenced by what players produce for their clubs. The USWNT has quality spread across the world, including Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma, who are expected to help Chelsea push for the WSL crown while also improving their own standing with the national side.

Then there is Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who is still pursuing the USWNT’s No. 1 goalkeeper spot and will again be expected to perform for Manchester United.

Emily Fox is also set to begin again with Arsenal after being selected in the PFA WSL Team of the Year for the second straight season. The right-back scored one goal and supplied four assists in 37 appearances while helping the Gunners win the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. If she remains fit, Fox looks as close to a certainty as there is in the USWNT defence.

In France, Lily Yohannes starts another campaign with OL Lyonnes. She will do so without former teammate Lindsey Heaps, who has moved to NWSL expansion club Denver Summit FC. That change will demand some adjustment from Yohannes, who produced some of her best football alongside Heaps in midfield.

With pre-season now under way, GOAL examines what is ahead this season for the USWNT stars playing in England and France.

Emily Fox and Arsenal are aiming for every trophy

Fox has all available silverware in her sights this season. Speaking to ESPN before the WSL season, the USWNT defender was clear about Arsenal’s targets.

“I think you have to go for all of them,” Fox said, referring to the domestic and international trophies on offer. “If you want to be the best, you have to go for it and be all in.”

Arsenal were beaten only once in the WSL last season, but six draws eventually cost them the league title. With such narrow margins separating the Gunners from reigning champions Manchester City, every result will carry weight this time. Arsenal looked in good shape in Wednesday’s final pre-season friendly, beating Charlton Athletic 5-1.

Fox was not in the starting XI, but she came on at right-back in the second half and almost immediately made her presence felt in attack, forcing Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse into a save.

The 28-year-old is a top-class one-v-one defender who can also drive forward tirelessly down the right side. Her capacity to affect the match at both ends of the pitch earned her a place in the PFA WSL Team of the Year.

Fox appears well placed for another strong season with Arsenal, and she has already made it plain that the club is not focused on winning just one trophy. The Gunners are chasing all of them.

Sam Coffey’s return has come at an important moment

When Coffey picked up an injury late in Manchester City’s season, the biggest consequences were felt internationally. The midfielder missed the USWNT’s June camp and the team’s two friendlies against Brazil in Brazil.

Since then, her recovery has moved forward, and Coffey played 45 minutes in a pre-season game against Barcelona as she continued her return. That outing indicates she should be available when the WSL season begins.

Last season was Coffey’s first in England. After a short settling-in period, she became a regular starter and made 10 appearances after arriving in January. In the end, Coffey played a significant part as Manchester City won its first WSL title in a decade.

She now heads into this season with that experience behind her. With USWNT World Cup qualifying approaching this autumn, Coffey’s immediate focus will be on rediscovering rhythm, getting regular minutes and staying fit after a lengthy spell out.

Chelsea ready to rely heavily on Alyssa Thompson

After an off-season full of changes at Chelsea, Thompson is one of the players the Blues are expected to lean on heavily. The winger made an instant impact after arriving last season, quickly showing her bravery, smart movement around the penalty area and composed finishing.

Thompson scored nine goals in 32 appearances across all competitions in her debut season, ending the campaign as Chelsea’s second-highest scorer. Seven of those goals came in the WSL, where she also added three assists. Her displays brought her a nomination for WSL Player of the Season and a place in the league’s Team of the Season.

Thompson has also become a regular option on the wing for the USWNT. During a stretch in which players such as Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson were away on maternity leave, she rose quickly in the pecking order and secured a starting role out wide. Thompson has so far contributed four goals and four assists for the U.S.

Is this finally Naomi Girma’s moment to stand out?

Girma’s biggest quality has always been the way she makes defending appear far easier than it is. She spots danger early, gets herself into position before attacks fully form and is excellent at stepping into passing lanes. Her distribution is equally impressive, with Girma regularly able to find teammates precisely with her passing.

Those strengths could become even more important for Chelsea this season. For the Blues, the hope is that this is finally the year Girma truly shines.

Her Chelsea career has not yet fully taken off, as injuries and restricted minutes have stopped her from building continuity and chemistry in the back line. Girma’s ability has never been in doubt; availability has been the problem. Repeated setbacks have prevented her from building momentum and cementing herself as a regular starter. Even last season, Chelsea had to manage the minutes of both Girma and Millie Bright carefully while Veerle Buurman assumed greater responsibility.

If Girma can put together a consistent run of matches, the potential is extremely high for both her and Chelsea as the club tries to win back the WSL title. The same is true at international level. If she stays fit and sharp, Girma should be a first-choice USWNT centre-back for the October matches against Spain and for World Cup qualifying.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce still pursuing the USWNT’s No. 1 role

For Tullis-Joyce, the coming WSL season is about building on another campaign that confirmed her as one of the league’s most dependable goalkeepers.

The American played 21 WSL matches for Manchester United last season and kept seven clean sheets. She finished with 17 shutouts in all competitions, highlighting just how important she was to United’s defensive solidity. Even so, Tullis-Joyce has still not fully established herself as the USWNT’s undisputed No. 1 goalkeeper.

Her distribution remains the most obvious area for improvement if she is to lock down that role. Emma Hayes wants a goalkeeper who can play out from the back and help the USWNT keep possession as an extra defender. Tullis-Joyce has improved in that respect, though United’s direct style does not always give her the chance to show it consistently.

She will also deal with stronger competition at club level after Janina Leitzig arrived from Leicester City. That signing gives United genuine competition in the position as well as important depth while the club tries to reduce the gap to the WSL’s top challengers.

Lily Yohannes prepared for a bigger role without Lindsey Heaps

Heaps’ move to Denver Summit takes away one of OL Lyonnes’ most experienced midfielders — a player capable of slowing games down, linking phases of play and offering a dependable presence between the defensive and attacking lines.

Yohannes has the technical ability to take on more of that burden. At only 19, she is already an outstanding midfielder, blending excellent vision with the ability to keep the ball moving and hold possession under pressure.

Yohannes enjoyed a strong first season in Lyon, scoring six goals in all competitions, including two in the Champions League. She was also named the UEFA Women’s Champions League Revelation of the Season and was especially effective when playing alongside Heaps.

Without the USWNT captain, Yohannes may have to become more assertive in central areas. She certainly has the passing range to do it, although a midfield that also includes Melchie Dumornay, Korbin Albert, Damaris Egurrola and Ingrid Syrstad Engen means she will not need to turn into a traditional all-action No. 8.

Yohannes is also very much in the running for a place in the USWNT squad for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Despite her age, she is the kind of midfielder who can lift the team’s level while also helping preserve its rhythm and style of play when she comes into a match.