Maika Hamano: Chelsea’s Rising Star in the Women’s Super League

Maika Hamano walks into this Barclays Women’s Super League season looking less like a prospect and more like a problem for opposition defences.

Chelsea’s 22-year-old midfielder arrives at a crossroads moment. The club has lost some of its long-standing pillars over the summer, and that creates space – and responsibility. Hamano looks ready to grab both.

Capable of operating across several positions, the Japan international offers exactly what Chelsea need in a period of transition: energy, intelligence, and end-product. She only featured in four league matches for the Blues last season, but even in that small sample she left a mark, scoring on the opening day in a 2-1 win over eventual champions Manchester City. Then came the twist.

In January, Chelsea sent her across London to Tottenham Hotspur. Ten league appearances later, she returned with sharper edges and valuable BWSL minutes in the bank. That loan was no exile. It was an education.

Her rise hasn’t been confined to club football. Earlier this year, Hamano delivered one of the defining moments of her young career on the international stage, smashing in a stunning winner in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final to hand Nadeshiko Japan the continental crown on Australian soil. A big stage, a big moment, and she owned it.

This is not a one-off storyline either. She already carries serious pedigree from youth level, having claimed the Golden Ball at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in 2022. Big tournaments seem to bring out her best.

Back at Chelsea, the signs of a breakout are already flickering. In pre-season she marked her return by scoring in a 7-0 rout of Auckland FC, a reminder of her instinct around goal and a timely message to the coaching staff: trust me, and I’ll deliver.

For Fantasy managers, the numbers are hard to ignore. Priced at £5.0m, Hamano sits in that sweet spot where potential meets value. She banked 42 points last season despite limited minutes. With an expanded 2026/27 campaign ahead and a bigger role firmly within reach, surpassing that tally doesn’t just feel possible – it feels likely.

Chelsea open at Stamford Bridge against Aston Villa on Saturday, September 5. Hamano has a habit of starting seasons fast. If she does it again, how long before she stops being a bargain and starts being essential?