Manchester City are determined to push the Women's Super League leaders to their absolute limit this season. There's a fierce battle for the trophy this term, with just two points separating a hopeful City and reigning champions Chelsea. The Manchester side boasts a clinical squad with impressive depth, but there's one player in particular who is making major waves.Lauren Hemp is rapidly becoming one of the country's finest young talents. At just 20-years-old, the forward has established herself as a proven first team regular who can be a huge headache for any defender.In the WSL alone, the youngster has clocked an impressive five goals and six assists – throwing herself into the mix alongside some of the league's most creative playmakers. Competing with Hemp are her teammates Sam Mewis, Caroline Weir and Chloe Kelly, who are all constantly adding goals and assists to their tallies.Being in such a competitive environment in which the City players are constantly pushing each other is only improving Hemp's game. Operating alongside international superstars like Mewis and Ellen White exposes the winger to knowledge she is yet to even experience herself for her country.Her goal contribution numbers speak for themselves – Hemp has bagged more assists in the league than Arsenal's Jill Roord and Everton's Izzy Christiansen.
To be able to walk out onto the pitch against some of the world's best sides and remain unfazed shows that Hemp's maturity levels are far beyond her years.Recently speaking to GiveMeSport Women, White admitted that she believes Hemp is the best player in the WSL at this moment in time. Indeed, the 20-year-old has remained cool and collected against some of the league's most feared sides. Not only has she frequented the starting lineup, but her impact is undeniable.She netted back-to-back goals against Arsenal and Manchester United in the league last month, contributing to Man City's fierce chase for this season's title.Hemp has also shone in European settings, asserting her dominance with a goal against both Goteborg and Fiorentina. Even during City's 3-0 defeat to Barcelona last week, the attacker was one of Gareth Taylor's rare positive takeaways. Her relentless pressing of the Barca backline caused the Catalonians a lot of problems out wide and whilst she couldn't find the back of the net, she kept oozing creative flair.
Similarly, Hemp made easy work of carving open Reading's defence at the weekend. Her delicious run into the box as she danced between the defenders was made to look easy as she set up Chloe Kelly for the only goal of the game.
Paving the way for England
The Lionesses are currently in a very important transitional period. Hege Riise is currently overseeing the selection for Team GB as she stands in temporarily until new manager Sarina Wiegman takes on her new role.
With new managerial personnel comes new tactics. Now is the perfect opportunity for rising English talent to make a name for themselves and impress the international coaches. Hemp already has six England caps, rising to the occasion extremely early on in her career. Most WSL players are nearing the end of their career without so much as a sniff of international football.
Hemp is well on her way to becoming a leading name in a new era of Lionesses. As the veterans of the game become less and less prominent in the England squad, the younger players filter through and take over. The Man City dynamo is high up on the list of players who Wiegman must integrate into her senior side.
Gareth Taylor recently waxed lyrical about Hemp, labelling her a "top talent" after her performance against Reading at the weekend. As she continues to impress on the domestic stage, her future as a Lioness only becomes more and more clear.