How WSL aims to bridge academy gap - and why it needs to

How WSL aims to bridge academy gap - and why it needs toImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Chelsea academy graduate Lexi Potter spent two seasons on loan at Crystal PalaceByEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished4 minutes agoWhile the Women‘s Super League grows each season, so does the challenge for England's youngsters hoping to break through - as Sonia Bompastor has noted.Chelsea's manager has raised concerns over the gap between academy football and first-team level - so is it an issue? And if so, how can it be solved?Last month, Bompastor flagged that her squad depth as thin - but did not feel she could call on many from the club's academy."We wanted to come into this game with 20 players including the bench and we couldn't for many reasons," she said following their Women's League Cup final victory over Manchester United."When I was in Lyon before, I could really have four or five players from the academy and they were able to perform at a really good level in the first team. "Here, I think they are playing at a level where there is a huge gap and they are not ready. "The FA (Football Association) should reflect with the top clubs about the structure of the competitions in order for the young players to be able to bridge the gap."'An incredible league' - inside WSL 2 promotion racePublished1 day agoWhat is the current structure?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lexi Potter scored her first WSL goal for Chelsea against Brighton in MarchAccording to sources at WSL clubs, Bompastor's comments are widely agreed with.At the leading English clubs, players are developed by Professional Game Academies (PGA), funded and operated by the Football Association.The FA first awarded 20 initial PGA licences to clubs in England’s two top tiers in 2023 as part of a major revamp.From the 2028-29 season, WSL Football - the company that operates the Women's Super League - w...