Mary Earps is set to leave Manchester United and join PSG on a free transfer this summer

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Mary Earps is leaving Man United on a free

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’.

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.

The shot-stopper – who picked up the award for FIFA’s Best Goalkeeper in 2022 and the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2023 – is also said to have already chosen Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as her next destination.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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Featured Images — James Boyes (via Flickr)