Up in the air

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw has cemented her legacy at Manchester City but the Reggae Girlz captain is unsure whether he future lies at the Women’s Super League (WSL) champions.

City claimed their second-ever WSL title last Saturday after a dominant 4-1 win over West Ham which sealed their place at the top of the standings with 55 points, four ahead of title rivals Arsenal.

Jamaican superstar Shaw, winning her first league title, netted a double which saw her finish with an incredible 21 goals from 22 games to win her third consecutive Golden Boot, becoming the first player in history to do so.

The 29-year-old’s heroics have seen her pick up two of the greatest individual accolades in English football: winning the WSL Player of the Season for a second time on Monday and Football Writers Association Player of the Year earlier this month.

Shaw, who joined City from Bordeaux in 2021, has registered 117 goals in 137 appearances, being the only player in the club’s history to surpass 100 goals in all competitions.

She can help the Manchester club to a rare double on May 31 when they battle Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup final.

However, her contract with City expires next month and according to reports in England, talks over a new deal have stalled with the length of extension being a stumbling block.

Eight-time champions Chelsea are reportedly the front-runners to sign Shaw if a new deal isn’t agreed, with the London club willing to pay her a 1 million pounds ($211 million) a year, making her one of the highest earners in women’s football. Multiple-time Spanish and European champions FC Barcelona and several top-flight American clubs are also among her suitors.

Shaw says she’s open to staying at City where she’s spent most of her professional career but can’t give any assurances.

“I’ve always said Manchester is my home, it’s where I want to be, but there’s a lot of things which go on behind the scenes which I won’t talk about now but I’ve always been proud of all the girls and everything. Manchester is where I would want to be, but ultimately we’ll see,” she told Sky Sports.

England legend and all-time record goal scorer Ellen White, a former teammate of Shaw at City, says the club would be making a massive mistake in letting the Jamaican go.

“She has to do what she feels is right for her and be where she feels most wanted and most valued. Why wouldn’t you give her what she deserves? She’s won the Golden Boot for three consecutive seasons in the WSL, no forward comes close to her goal contributions, and when she’s had the chance to play in the Champions League, she’s scored too,” White told the BBC.

“If you have the ability to pay her what she deserves and you don’t get her to sign a contract, you’re letting her go to a direct rival like Chelsea. It’s baffling. If you want to keep winning titles, you won’t have anyone who can score that many goals season after season. Is there any other player like that in the WSL, in Europe, in the United States, or even in the world?”

Despite the speculation, Shaw says she’s elated to win her first league title.

“A lot of emotions, it’s been a long season, grind, hard work. We have ups and downs, but we live for these and I can’t wait to celebrate. It’s been a long season, I’ve always tried to do the best I can, the players I have around me make me look good,” Shaw said.

It’s unsure whether Shaw will be available for the Reggae Girlz pair of friendlies against Panama on June 5 and June 8.

However, she’ll be looking to help Jamaica qualify for a third consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup in November when they take on Costa Rica in the quarter-final of the Concacaf Women’s Championship.

Jamaica Reggae Girl Khadija “Bunny” Shaw shoots past Guyana’s Jenea Knight during the Concacaf Women’s Qualifiers Group B encounter at the National Stadium on April 18, 2026. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Manchester City’s Jamaican striker Khadija Shaw (left) celebrates scoring the team’s second goal alongside teammate Yui Hasegawa during the UEFA Women’s Champions League Group D football match versus Barcelona at the Joie Stadium in Manchester, England, on October 9, 2024. (Photo: AFP)