Toni Duggan expects new team-mate Kosovare Asllani to make impact

Toni Duggan thinks the arrival of Swedish striker Kosovare Asllani will help Manchester City Women attract even larger crowds this season.

City's average gate for home matches last term was 1500 supporters - more than double the 2014 league average - and the club also set an FA WSL record in last year's season finale when 3,180 spectators attended their 2-1 win over Notts County Ladies.

Asllani arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in the close season after a prolific three-and-a-half year spell where she scored 45 goals in all competitions for the French side.

And England striker Duggan believes the lure of Champions League football will help City attract more players of Asllani's calibre in the future.

"She's really good and I've loved linking up with her in pre-season," Duggan told Sky Sports News HQ.

"It's sometimes difficult for new players but she seems to have settled in fine. She's that type of character and I'm sure she'll attract the crowds as well because of her flair, her pace and her style of play, and she can also score great goals.

"Every top player wants to play in the Champions League and bringing players like Asllani and Jane Ross to the club adds to the group that we have and will help us keep progressing as a team

"Hopefully she can do a job for us."

City Women moved into the state-of the-art Academy Stadium - located on the Etihad Campus - last season, a week after the ground played host to England Women's friendly against China.

Season ticket sales have almost doubled ahead of the new season and Duggan hopes City can continue playing free-flowing attacking football in order for that trend to continue.

"We know there is a long way to go but doubling the number of season tickets we have sold over the past few years has been a great achievement for the club," Duggan said, as she personally delivered season tickets and signed shirts to some lucky fans along with captain Steph Houghton.

"I think part of the success is people have been attracted to our football. People want to come along and watch a good game of football and that's what we have given them

"In the past two years of the WSL it's gone down to the last day which also adds to the excitement and long may that continue.

"I think the city of Manchester has been crying out for a women's team and I think they have really got behind us in the last two seasons.

"The support has been incredible and it's nice that I could come along and give some of our loyal fans a season ticket for the rest of the season. Hopefully they enjoy it and hopefully we can put in the performances that keep attracting the crowds, because it's been brilliant."