- Keeper’s contract running down
- Linked with move elsewhere
- Savoured tangible success in 2024
WHAT HAPPENED?
The England international goalkeeper has seen serious questions asked of her future as her contract runs down. There has been talk of interest from the likes of Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in the 31-year-old shot-stopper – who is a two-time winner of the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award.
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WHAT SKINNER SAID
Earps is as ambitious as any player, with a European Championship win and World Cup final appearance under her belt, and domestic cup success with United may convince her to sign a new deal. Skinner has told BBC Sport on that subject: “That is a decision to be made later, it is not a conversation for now. I’m sure it does help but me and Mary have a great relationship. Of course I would love her to stay. She is an FA Cup winner.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Ex-England star Fara Williams believes that tangible success will aid United’s efforts to get Earps to commit to fresh terms, saying: “It is so important that United now have a trophy, they have to use that now to nail down Mary Earps. She has tasted that success now and they need to keep her at the club and build the team around her. She is so vitally important. At any club now the goalkeeper position is crucial and who’s better than her?”
WHAT NEXT FOR EARPS?
Earps joined United in 2019 and has taken in over 120 appearances for the club. An FA Cup triumph in 2024 is her first with the Red Devils, having finished as a runner-up in that competition 12 months ago, and she could be tempted to aid efforts to build a squad that can challenge for the WSL title.
