After much speculation over her future, Lionesses keeper Mary Earps is reportedly set to leave Manchester United and join French giants PSG on a free transfer this summer.
The 31-year-old has been at Man United for nearly five years after joining from German side VfL Wolfsburg back in 2019 and has gone on to become not only the Red Devils’ number one but England’s too, emerging as one of the national team’s biggest leaders over the past few years.
Having picked up the 2023 Sports Personality of the Year among multiple other awards following her heroics at the Euros and World Cup, along with her campaigning on behalf of women’s sport, her stock has never been higher, but deliberations surrounding a new contract have dragged on for months.
Unfortunately for Man United Women fans, it looks as though the two parties have in the end failed to reach an agreement and they’ll have to big goodbye to Mary ‘Queen of Stops’.
Mary Earps will leave Manchester United at the end of her contract to join Paris Saint-Germain 📝 pic.twitter.com/82k5qAAwbq
As per multiple outlets, there has been no resolution between Earps and the WSL club despite lengthy negotiations and the fan-favourite player is now expected to leave Manchester when her contract expires at the end of the month.
According to the Evening Standard‘s Simon Collings, United are “understood to have made the goalkeeper a strong offer to stay, but she is keen for a new challenge elsewhere”, though Earps herself said the decision would ultimately be “up to the club” – the suggestion being it wasn’t a big enough deal.
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It’s fair to say this will be a big loss for the club and not the only instance in which they won’t receive any kickback from the move, having similarly let a first-team star and fellow Lioness Alessia Russo go for free and join title rivals Arsenal at the end of her contract last summer.
But it isn’t just money the supporters fear has influenced the decision.
Not forgetting the top scorer Parris, & FA Cup final goalscorers Williams and Garcia. It is just a HUGE mess.
As you can see, there is now fear that other members of Marc Skinner’s squad could also be on their way out because of the other decisions made by higher-ups, with Spaniard Lucía García having also confirmed her exit on Wednesday, 26 June.
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The club has faced huge backlash following their decision to move the female players into portable facilities for the benefit of the men’s team whilst the Carrington Training Complex undergoes a reported £50 million revamp. Admittedly not a great look for parity throughout the club.
Kick Off podcast host and producer, Bruno Quinney, reacted to the news by calling it “unbelievable” and claiming that the women’s team “is going backwards” since Sir Jim Ratcliffe came in as co-owner.
“So much for a world-class sporting operation”, he added, posing the valid question: “Why can’t the serially underperforming men’s team move into portable buildings?
Earps is yet to issue a statement on her imminent departure but she’ll certainly be sorely missed by the United faithful.
England fans are calling for Southgate to finally start Luke Shaw following Trippier’s injury doubts
Danny Jones
England supporters are crying out for Gareth Southgate to start Luke Shaw in the next game against Switzerland after Kieran Trippier was substituted in the round-of-16 win over Slovakia.
The Three Lions boss admitted it was a ‘gamble’ to bring the injured Manchester United star to the Euros and would only be fit enough to play in the knockout games, but with the quarter-finals now looming and Shaw yet to play a single minute in the tournament, people are now wondering if he’ll come in at all.
So far though, since the sidelined 28-year-old is England’s only natural left-back in the squad, Bury-born defender Kieran Trippier has been deployed in the position but his right-footedness has proved difficult when it comes to overlapping, creating overloads on the wing and service into the box.
That being said, with the Newcastle fullback having already been an injury doubt prior to Slovakia and the fact it’s unclear as to whether or not his substitution was just a knock or something more serious, fans are urging Southgate to roll the dice now and bring Shaw into the side.
if shaw isn’t fit for the switzerland game sack southgate on the spot . doesn’t fix most of our problems but having a fit left back certainly helps in matches
Trent for Walker, Shaw for Trippier, Palmer for Saka and Gordon for Foden. Make no mistake we have been absolutely dreadful in every game. Unless we buck our ideas up Switzerland will have a field day
Trippier got Guehi booked and now Guehi will miss the match against Switzerland
Trippier needs to be dropped and Shaw needs to start man
That gives him more time to get sharp and fit
— Donation link in BIO pls (@EhsanMH2015) June 30, 2024
As you can see, it doesn’t look like the manner of the qualification has done anything to settle the nerves back home, especially given their quarter-final opponents Switzerland are set to prove a much more difficult challenge after they came second in their group only to hosts Germany.
They also managed to dump out England‘s ghosts from Euro 2020 in their first knockout fixture, beating the Italians 2-0 to progress to the last eight.
Given the tense nature of the performance, the general consensus despite the win is that things need to be shaken up; one person suggested: “Bring in Trent. Shaw (if poss). Keep Mainoo. Palmer or Gordon”, adding, “the Swiss ain’t no joke. They will dismantle England in an hour if you don’t freshen things up.”
While there seems to be plenty of debate as to how Southgate will line his team up after Marc Guehi picked up a suspension – with many suggesting that he could play three at the back – virtually everyone is calling for Shaw to be brought straight into the starting XI, even if as a left-sided centre-half.
Gareth Southgate had some luck this time. There is no chance england beat Switzerland without some serious changes.
They need to bring on Luke Shaw, Anthony Gordon, and Cole Palmer from the start.
While it looks as though the supporters’ cries to start fellow Man United teammate Kobbie Mainoo have worked and you would hope the shouts for Shaw will be heard too, only those within the England camp will know what Southgate is thinking when it comes to his new defensive dilemma.
In fact, when Trippier was already a doubt for Sunday’s match, it was reported that rather than risking Shaw he was considering bringing in Ezri Kona as a makeshift LB, so this could still be in his plans as opposed to playing the natural fullback or Liverpool’s Joe Gomez who has also played there this season.
It’s also worth noting that not only does Shaw provide more width and fluid left flank, but he also buried a stunning strike against the Swiss when the two teams last met in March of 2022 – one that reminiscent of his opener against Italy in the last Euros final, in fact.
We’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed that whatever option he goes for turns out to be the right one and, if it does, Manchester now has a very exciting new venue to watch the rest of the competition.
AO Arena to screen remaining England Euros games in what will be Europe’s biggest fanzone
Daisy Jackson
The AO Arena is set to transform into a giant Euros fanzone and will show all the remaining England games.
Manchester’s leading arena will be teaming up with Road to Victory to create what will be the biggest fan park in Europe.
The family-friendly fanzone will be a fully immersive football experience, complete with beer pong, penalty shoot out and table football areas.
It’s also promising to serve discounted pints.
Each Euros screening at the AO Arena will include live performances at a half-time show, and interactive games before and after the match.
Road to Victory was previously hosted at Depot Mayfield during the 2022 World Cup but is now moving into Manchester’s iconic venue the AO Arena.
All games from the quarter finals onwards will be shown to massive crowds, combining high-scale production with interactive technology, creating a multi-sensory Euros adventure.
The first Road to Victory event at the AO Arena will be on Saturday 6 July when England face Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
The news comes hot off the back of Southgate’s squad sailing through the round of 16 and defeating Slovakia 2-1.
Road to Victory also has an over-18s fanzone experience over at Diecast, which will remain throughout the summer.
Its AO Arena fanzone will be its first that’s suitable for all ages.
The Mezz, which is the arena’s luxury restaurant and bar, will be a family zone with face painting and sign making.
Tickets are available to purchase at roadtovictory.co.uk at full time on Sunday.