Sport

Manchester United Women have signed a new Swedish international defender

A late Christmas present for Reds.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 27th December 2025

Manchester United Women have announced that the club has reached an agreement for the signing of Swedish international defender Hanna Lundkvist.

Having just departed American outfit San Diego Wave FC last week, Hanna Lundkvist is set to become a Man United and Women’s Super League (WSL) player on 1 January 2026.

Leaving the US after more than a year in the National Women’s Soccer League – Lundkvist signed for San Diego back in February 2024 – she has already spoken highly of England’s premier female division.

At just 23 and having already made 17 appearances for her country, including every game at the most recent Women’s Euros, she’s a highly-rated European prospect.

With the club already confirming the deal ahead of being fully unveiled as an official United Women’s signing, she will be the fourth member of the Sweden national setup in the squad after Anna Sandberg, Fridolina Rolfo and Julia Zigiotti Olme.

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The ex-AIK and Hammarby IF youth is also set to face another one of her former teams, Atlético Madrid, in the growing Greater Manchester side’s knockout phase play-off fixture in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (WCL) this coming February.

Making it through to the next stage after beating fellow group qualifiers Juventus earlier this month, it remains to be seen how far Marc Skinner‘s side will go in their debut WCL campaign.

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Her arrival is the first in what Skinner has already built up as an “aggressive” period of recruitment in the New Year, with the women’s transfer window set to close on Tuesday, 3 February, just a day after the male equivalent does.

As for Lundkvist, she’s already been given the seal of approval by her coach and the club, even being given a big defensive number.

Putting pen to paper on a contract until 2029, Lundkvist said in a statement: “I am really excited to be here; Manchester United is a club with an amazing history. You can feel how much they have grown in the last few years, competing in one of the strongest leagues in the world and performing in the WCL.

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“Speaking with Marc and the coaches confirmed all of the great things I have heard about the culture of the team here. I cannot wait to get started and help the group to achieve more success.”

Director of women’s football at Man United, Matt Johnson, went on to add: “We are delighted to have signed a player with excellent experience at both club and international level at such a young age.

“Hanna will add further quality and energy to our defence; her determination and attitude will really help the group as we continue to compete across domestic and European competitions.”

Over in the blue half of Manchester, another youngster is reportedly heading out on his second loan spell in the January transfer window.

Manchester City youngster Claudio Echeverri set for another loan spell

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Featured Images — LasColchoneras (via Wikimedia Commons)/Manchester United Women (via X)

Sport

Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.

In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.

Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.

Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.

Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied

At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.

Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.

The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.

Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied

The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.

Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.

“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”

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Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.

It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.

Featured Image – Supplied

Sport

Manchester City release limited-edition Blossoms shirts exclusively in new flagship store

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Manchester City release limited-edition Blossoms shirts exclusively in new flagship store

Manchester City have released a limited run of special Blossoms shirts, which will be available exclusively at the new flagship City Store.

Etihad Airways has donated the front-of-shirt space for the special drop, which celebrates the Stockport band’s lifelong support of Man City and will fundraise for City in the Community’s 40th anniversary.

The Manchester City x Blossoms collab features the band’s logo across the chest of the 2024/25 season’s away shirt – one of the Club’s most popular designs in recent years.

Profits from sales of the shirts will be donated to CITC to support its 40th anniversary fundraising, which empower healthier lives with city youth through football.

Blossoms have just secured their fifth UK number one album with their latest release, ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’, and will soon be heading on an arena tour that includes two massive shows at the Co-op Live.

There’s a very limited run of the Man City Blossoms shirts, available in sizes small to large, which will exclusively be sold at the new flagship CityStore.

The shirts have dropped in-store this morning, with further drops to be released around the band’s tour dates this November and December.

As for that new City store – it’s a whopping 21,000 sq ft, three-floor space at Medlock Square, right beside the Etihad Stadium, and is the biggest shop in the club’s history.

The new flagship has opened today in collaboration with PUMA and Stichd, and features a new, interactive ‘Make It Yours’ customisation station as well as an expanded range of Manchester City products.

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Featured image: Manchester City

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