Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw is expected to leave Manchester City when her contract expires at the end of the season.
After months of cordial talks over a potential new contract, Shaw is understood to want to explore her other options despite winning the Women's Super League with City on Wednesday evening.
The 29-year-old striker has scored a remarkable 110 goals in 133 appearances for City since joining from Bordeaux in 2021 and there is believed to be interest in Shaw from Chelsea among other clubs, including from the USA.
Shaw is set to win the WSL Golden Boot for a third consecutive season, having netted 19 goals in 21 games. In March, she set a new record by scoring the fastest hat-trick in the competition's history, timed at 12 minutes and 37 seconds from her first goal to her third.
Shaw won the Women's League Cup with Man City in 2021 and was named WSL Player of the Season for 2023/24 when she scored 21 goals in 18 games.
The Jamaica international can complete a domestic double this season with City set to face Chelsea on Sunday in the Women's FA Cup semi-finals.
Analysis by Your Site' Laura Hunter:
Bunny Shaw's future was the one prize Andree Jeglertz would have wanted just as much as the Women's Super League title. That is how important she is to the now-champions. They would not have finished top without her, directly responsible for 10 points over the course of another stellar campaign.
Suggestions are that City negotiated hard to retain their greatest talent, arguably the game's most revered striker, but were not able to meet the valuation of rivals. An immediate inquest should be held into why. Why were Manchester City not prepared to offer what Chelsea or others have?
To lose Shaw is a major blow. To lose her to a direct WSL rival would be a disaster. Such is her profile, she cannot be replaced with one or even two players. Not to mention the unfathomable fact she will depart for free.
What is perhaps more worrying, though, is what this move signifies for a club supposedly intent on building on their first title for a decade. Clearly clubs have to operate within a financial framework, budgets are not infinite, but there is surely flex for the best No 9 out there?
Such a decision could prove a costly mistake. Chelsea will not have taken kindly to losing their title to City but if they manage to bag Shaw's signature it will be viewed as a consolation victory. You can imagine the scenes: 'Lauren James finds Shaw again as she reaches double figures by Christmas.' It might even be enough to tip the scales irreversibly in Chelsea's favour as City try to balance European competition with their WSL defence next year.
Way to dampen the title party before it really got going.
