Khadija Shaw is staying at Manchester City and honestly, what a rollercoaster that was. A few days ago it looked like she was absolutely out the door, bags packed, taxi booked, and now suddenly she has put pen to paper on a brand new four year deal. Football never lets you have a quiet week does it.
And look, from a pure football standpoint this is massive for City. Shaw is not just good, she is genuinely frightening. The woman scores goals for fun. She has been one of the most consistent strikers in the WSL for a while now and losing her would have left a hole up front that you simply cannot patch with a panic buy in the summer window. City's women's side have worked hard to build something real and keeping their best player was always going to be the priority, even if for a moment there it looked like it had all gone wrong.
The interesting bit here is the timing. When a player gets this close to leaving and then stays, there is usually a very good story behind it. Better wages, a new project being sold to them, assurances about the direction of the club. Something changed in those conversations and whatever City said, it worked. Fair play to them for getting it over the line.
From Shaw's side though, you can understand why she might have been thinking about her options. She is at the peak of her powers and you want to know the club around you matches that ambition. City have had a strong period in the WSL but the competition is getting fiercer every season. Arsenal are relentless, Chelsea keep spending, and the whole women's game is moving at a pace nobody predicted five years ago. Staying means she believes City can compete at the top, and that tells you something.
Either way, Shaw in a City shirt for another four years is good for everyone. Good for City, good for the WSL, and good for anyone who just loves watching a proper centre forward do what they do best. Let me know your thoughts.