The battle for supremacy among London's Women's Super League clubs takes on fresh intrigue this weekend as both Arsenal and Chelsea head into the new campaign with significantly altered squads following a summer of major transfer activity.
Arsenal have said goodbye to long-serving figures Beth Mead and Katie McCabe, but manager Renee Slegers has moved to bolster her ranks with a striking array of new talent. England international Georgia Stanway, Spanish World Cup winner Ona Batlle, and Switzerland captain Geraldine Reuteler have all arrived at the Emirates, giving Slegers what she believes is her strongest group yet.
"Yes, I would say so," Slegers said when asked directly whether this squad surpasses her previous rosters.
The Gunners boss has been open about the scale of her side's ambitions this term, setting sights firmly on the league title rather than settling for a supporting role behind Manchester City.
"We've been open about it - the WSL title is something we're going after," Slegers said ahead of her team's opening fixture against Brighton at Broadfield Stadium in Crawley on Sunday. "It's something where we really have our mind set. Of course there's a big belief in what we are doing, the quality that we possess and the different tools we have to use. There's a real hunger."
That same venue proved costly for Arsenal last season, when a 1-1 draw with Brighton in May contributed to derailing their pursuit of champions Manchester City. Slegers has made clear that lessons from those late-season stumbles have been absorbed throughout the club.
"We've spoken about it with the staff, the captains, the player group," she explained. "Everyone is aware of it. We know the hurdles we had last year - and that's what we're working towards. The quality of players that we have here, there's so many things that we can bring to a game now. I'm really happy about it."
Across London, Chelsea have also undergone notable transition. Sonia Bompastor's side lost two icons of their recent trophy-laden era in Sam Kerr and Millie Bright, but have responded by bringing in McCabe on a free transfer from Arsenal and investing heavily to sign Melvine Malard from Manchester United. Chelsea begin their campaign at home to Aston Villa on Saturday, a fixture broadcast live on BBC One.
Despite being tipped as favourites by Opta's supercomputer model - which gives them a 39.9% chance of lifting the title - Bompastor is downplaying the significance of such projections.
"I remember sitting here last season and someone told me the same," she said. "Our percentage was higher than this season! I'm not too focused on what numbers and what is coming from AI or computers."
Instead, the Chelsea manager expects this to be the most demanding WSL season to date, with Manchester City remaining the team to beat but genuine threats emerging from multiple directions.
"The beauty in this league is that many clubs are in a position to win the title," Bompastor said. "It was already the most competitive league in the world and it's becoming stronger every season. Every game is so difficult but that's good. I'm excited for it."
Among those potential surprise packages is London City, who impressed in their debut WSL campaign by finishing sixth and have invested heavily over the summer to strengthen further. Owner Michelle Kang has previously stated the club's aspiration to reach the top of the English game, and an encouraging win against Manchester United to open the new season offers early signs that such lofty ambitions may not be unrealistic.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.