After two years away from the WSL, Mary Earps is back, following an underwhelming time at PSG, where she hoped to win the Champions League but last season bowed out early, finishing second from last with no wins. She has returned no longer as England's number one or a lioness, as she signs a two-year contract with London City Lionesses.
She made 22 league appearances in her final campaign, kept 12 clean sheets, and they finished third in the league, 13 points behind Lyon, due to a point deduction, as they were unable to challenge for the title.
She has said the reason for her move is that the club aligns with what she stands for.
Earp continued: “The club's values represent what I want to represent, and they are passionate about what I want to achieve. All the conversations have been really positive, and every time I spoke with the club, I wanted to hear more. The vision and ambition, including the new training facility, are incredible, and I'm looking forward to seeing them develop. It shows what our owner Michele [Kang] and everyone at the club want to do in terms of really going for it.”
This, of course, is not her first time in the WSL. Still, some fans have found it comedic that she has returned just as Sam Kerr leaves a player who historically loved to score past Earps while she was at Manchester United, where she made 100+ appearances and won the women's FA Cup in her final season.
Her return to the league will likely not be completely welcomed, especially by Chelsea fans, after her book release, in which she described Hannah Hampton, Chelsea's number one goalkeeper, as "disruptive and unreliable” and "frequently risked derailing training sessions and team resources." However, Earps purposely avoids giving specific examples in the text. She also said it was unfair for Hampton to be brought back into the England side, and felt uncomfortable and that “bad behaviour was being rewarded”.
This was made worse by her retirement from international football, as Hamptons would remain the permanent first-choice goalkeeper. She said this decision no longer aligned with her morals and values, so she chose to leave and play backup. She also wanted another keeper who had not played a single senior international game to play the tournament instead of the more experienced player. This need to drag Hampton down for no reason did not go down with fans or the manager, who called the comments “not acceptable”. It stated “one of them is class, and Hannah is the class one, and that she is a great professional and good person”, praising Hampton's composure after the expert was released. Ultimately,y she will not get the warmest of welcomes at Stamford Bridge, that is for sure.
London City finished sixth in their debut WSL season as the independent team hoped to push further. But Earps will not automatically be the number one keeper; she will compete with their current first choice, Elene Lete, for the starting position.
She will bring leadership, experience and historic elite-level consistency to a developing squad. She has been known for her elite shot-stopping ability, high-pressure match experience and organisation of the defensive unit.
This is a major commercial signing for the club, a former Lioness with a strong social media following, as the club aims to use her arrival to expand its following, which is limited due to a lack of association with a men's side, to increase visibility and strengthen commercial growth.
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