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Mary Earps Returns to WSL with London City Lionesses
Mary Earps has never been one to tiptoe into a new chapter. She prefers to kick the door down.
On Friday night, in the opening game of the Women’s Super League season, the new London City Lionesses goalkeeper could step back into the league in the most dramatic way possible – against Manchester United, the club that helped turn her into a global star.
“It felt like it was meant to be,” she admitted to BBC Sport, and it’s hard to argue.
From Old Trafford icon to London calling
Earps spent five seasons at United, a spell that coincided with the peak of her career. She became England’s number one, twice won Fifa’s goalkeeper of the year award, and helped United land their first major trophy with the FA Cup in 2024. More than 100 appearances, a cabinet full of medals, and something more enduring: a mural outside Old Trafford that still stares out over the stadium.
United has moved on since she left, but the bond has not snapped. When she returned to Old Trafford with Paris St-Germain in the Women’s Champions League last season, the reception was warm and loud. It meant a lot.
“I got a nice reception at Old Trafford and it meant a great deal to me,” she said. “I spent five wonderful years there and I made amazing memories. I won an FA Cup and met a lot of incredible people. I know the fans don’t change – they are still as hardcore as ever.”
Those United years also ran parallel with England’s rise. Earps was central to the Euro 2022 triumph and the run to the 2023 World Cup final. She became BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2023 and, almost overnight, one of the most recognisable and influential athletes in the country.
With that came scrutiny. Last November, her book ignited controversy and dominated headlines for weeks. The noise was relentless. Yet when she returned with PSG, Old Trafford still applauded. The mural stayed up. The affection held.
Now, as she prepares to face United again in new colours, the question shifts. What does this next act look like? And why did she decide the time was right to come home?
Paris, perspective and the pull of home
Earps spent two seasons at PSG, making 22 appearances in the Première Ligue last term. She had left United chasing Champions League nights and trophies, but the move also gave her something less tangible and just as valuable: space.
“I’m grateful for all the amazing love and support that I’ve had over the years, but it was nice to be away,” she said.
Paris gave her the Parc des Princes, French food, the language, the slower walks by the Seine. It gave her distance from the “craziness in England”, as she put it. For someone who describes herself as “intense”, especially on the pitch, that mattered. It allowed reflection, a reset, a push out of her comfort zone.
She never framed it as escape. More like evolution.
But when the contract expired, the pull of home grew louder. The WSL crowds. The energy. The sense that women’s football in England sits on a permanent surge.
“Of course, there’s always things that you miss. I’m very, very happy to be home,” she said. “I missed the English football culture – the way you feel when you walk into a stadium, the electricity of the crowd, the feeling around women’s football in this country. I knew I was probably going to miss that going away which is why I’m so excited to be back. Distance makes the heart grow fonder.”
A new project, familiar ambition
London City have not tiptoed into this summer either. Earps arrives as one of the headline signings, joining two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and Spain defender Mapi Leon in a squad that suddenly looks built for more than mid-table safety.
Big names, big expectations. No guarantees.
Earps has started both of London City’s last two pre-season games, but she knows the number-one shirt is not hers by reputation alone. Elene Lete impressed last season and has no intention of stepping aside.
“The reality of it is that I’ve been here a few weeks and I’m trying to earn my place in the team every single day,” Earps said. “Elene did a great job last year and it won’t be easy between us to see who starts. I think that is another great thing about being part of a fantastic squad. I just want to contribute to the team’s success and hopefully that is playing a lot of games and being a part of their history in some small way.”
The competitive edge is still sharp. Retirement, for now, is an international story only. She has walked away from England duty, announcing her decision in 2025, but her club ambitions remain pointed and clear.
She has signed a two-year deal with London City and talks about improvement as if she is still a 22-year-old breaking through, not a 33-year-old with almost everything already ticked off.
“I want to continue to play at the highest level, to win at the highest level for as long as possible and to be a part of something special,” she said. “I really do believe that London City will go on to do great things for a long time. They want to be the best in class and world-leading. That is something that I’m always pushing to be – to be the best version of myself as a player and a person every day. It’s a great place to be for me to max out on whatever potential I have left. The moment that I don’t think I can learn any more, I won’t continue to play. I still feel like I’ve got a lot to give and hopefully there’s some fantastic days around the corner. I’m really looking forward to this chapter.”
The mural in Manchester remains. The spotlight will follow her to London.
On Friday night, under WSL lights, Mary Earps walks out for London City Lionesses with United on the other side – a new chapter, written against the backdrop of the old one.
