Hayley Raso celebrating her goal for Manchester City. Photo credit: Manchester City Women via Twitter.
After spending two years at Manchester City, Hayley Raso is now embarking on a new adventure, joining Real Madrid in La Liga F. This move marks the end of her three-year stint in the Women’s Super League (WSL), where she struggled to secure a spot in Manchester City’s first team following her transfer from Everton.
⚡ #WelcomeRaso ⚡ pic.twitter.com/31aJ5vLDod
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadridfem) July 8, 2023
Hayley Raso’s transfer to Real Madrid delivers various benefits that will help the squad in the future season. Her abundance of expertise and adaptability adds to the squad’s depth. Raso has thrived in a variety of positions, notably as a winger or striker, because of her exceptional speed and agility. Her ability to switch smoothly between roles helps the team’s tactics to stay dynamic and adaptive, providing a continual danger to opposition defences.
Raso’s international experience also adds a crucial dimension to Real Madrid’s squad. She has represented Australia in important competitions, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she has competed against the world’s finest players, honing her abilities and acquiring valuable expertise. This exposure to high-pressure scenarios and a variety of playing styles provides her with the mental toughness and versatility required to excel in challenging competitions such as the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Raso’s arrival also strengthens Real Madrid’s overall squad depth, providing vital competition for Spanish international Athenea del Castillo.
On paper, Manchester City’s acquisition of Raso from Everton appeared to be a wise decision. With Chloe Kelly out for the season due to an ACL injury, the squad needed someone to step in at right wing. Under Gareth Taylor’s leadership, the side depended on quick passing to include the quick wingers, who would then send dangerous crosses to prolific forwards like Ellen White and, subsequently, Bunny Shaw. Raso has the requisite characteristics for this style of play, displaying superb dribbling abilities and the courage to go one-on-one with defenders.
Raso made her Manchester City debut in a 1-1 tie against Real Madrid, an ironic turn of events. She didn’t score her first goal for the club until November when she netted a brace against Aston Villa thanks to a Hannah Hampton error. Despite starting and scoring against Brighton, she was unable to hit the back of the goal for the remainder of the season. Raso’s opportunities diminished once Chloe Kelly returned from injury, and she was only used as an impact replacement when the squad needed to chase a game. Her most memorable performance occurred in the 2021 FA Cup Final, when she collected a crossfield pass from Greenwood, controlled the ball with her chest, outmuscled Cuthbert, and poked it past Berger in the final stages of the game, forcing extra time.
Raso, however, was unable to reproduce that peak performance. In the next season, Gareth Taylor stuck with his front three of Kelly, Shaw, and Hemp, severely limiting Raso’s opportunities. When she came in as a substitute in the 90th minute of Arsenal’s Conti Cup Semi-Final, which Arsenal won 1-0 in extra time courtesy of a goal from Blackstenius, the writing was on the wall. Raso struggled to influence the game during her brief appearance.
However with an upcoming home World Cup in Australia, and seemingly performing better with the national team, the summer looks bright for the winger. Raso might be the missing component for Real Madrid, a team constantly looking for development in Liga F. Perhaps the actual potential of Real Raso will be seen in the coming season.
Written by Adam Salter and Unnati Naidu
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