Mary Earps Joins London City Lionesses: A Bold Comeback
Mary Earps is coming back to the WSL, and she is not easing her way in.
The former England No 1 has signed a two-year deal with London City Lionesses, joining on July 1 when her contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires. At 33, with a trophy cabinet and reputation already secure, she has chosen a club that has only just arrived in the top flight – and one that wants to move fast.
This is not a gentle homecoming. It is a declaration.
A champion returns to England
Earps left Manchester United two years ago after five seasons that helped redefine the club’s women’s side. She made 102 appearances there, keeping 45 clean sheets and turning herself into one of the most reliable goalkeepers in Europe.
During that period she became the heartbeat of England’s rise. She played a crucial role in the Euro 2022 triumph and then in the run to the World Cup final the following year, her performances and presence setting the standard for the Lionesses.
Then came the shock. Last summer, just five weeks before the Euros, she retired from international football after losing her starting spot to Hannah Hampton. For a player of her stature, it felt abrupt, jarring, unfinished.
Now the comeback to English domestic football arrives with an edge. Earps is not drifting back. She is targeting something.
"I'm over the moon to join this club and I'm really looking forward to it," she said. "I feel the club aligns with what I stand for. I can't wait to get started and to get down to business."
Why London City?
On paper, the move is bold from both sides. London City were only promoted to the WSL for the first time last season and finished sixth in their debut campaign. Respectable, impressive even, but still outsiders looking in at the division’s established elite.
Earps, though, sees something more.
"The club's values represent what I want to represent and they are passionate about what I want to achieve and change the game in a positive way," she explained. "All the conversations have been really positive and every time I spoke with the club I wanted to hear more."
The project is ambitious. Backed by free-spending owner Michele Kang, London City are not content with survival or mid-table comfort. A new training facility is on the way. The club have serious interest in Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas. These are not tentative steps; they are leaps.
"The vision and ambition, including the new training facility, is incredible and I'm looking forward to seeing that develop," Earps said. "It shows what our owner, Michele, and everyone at the club want to do in terms of really going for it.
"It's about putting a marker down and saying we want to be competitive in a short space of time."
Fixing the weak point
If there was one glaring issue for Eder Maestre’s side last season, it was at the back. London City conceded 35 goals, more than the league average of 32. For a team with top-four aspirations, that figure will not do.
Earps changes the equation.
She is not just a shot-stopper. She organises, she demands, she drags standards up around her. London City already have Elene Lete, who impressed with sharp saves and key interventions last season, and Earps is keen to build on that foundation rather than displace it.
"I'm looking forward to working alongside Elene and the goalkeeping unit," she said. "Elene made some great saves and interventions last season. Hopefully, we can bounce off each other and work hard and enjoy it."
That partnership, and the competition within it, will be central if London City are serious about disrupting the traditional WSL hierarchy.
A club on the rise, a keeper with unfinished business
The recruitment drive is starting to look like a statement of intent. Big names are piling up, and the pursuit of Putellas underlines just how far London City are prepared to go. For a side with only one season of top-flight experience, the cast is suddenly star-studded.
There is a risk in that. Dressing rooms full of superstars do not automatically become great teams. The men’s game has provided enough cautionary tales – even PSG, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, never quite found the right balance.
London City will have to prove they can blend ego, expectation and ambition into something coherent. Earps, with her experience of big environments and high-pressure tournaments, should help.
"My message to the fans is that I'm really excited to get started and make some memories together," she said. "I can't wait to play in front of you all."
She knows what she is walking into. A fiercely competitive league. A club trying to accelerate its growth. A squad that punched above its weight last season but now wants more.
"I feel I still have so much left to give to the game, and that's exactly why I chose London City," she added. "It won't be easy, the WSL is extremely competitive. The team had a brilliant 2025/26 season, finishing mid-table in their first season, now it's about climbing the table and working towards finishing as high as possible."
That is the challenge. London City want to smash their way into the top four. To do that, they needed a goalkeeper who knows what it takes to win at the highest level, who still burns to prove a point.
They have found her.
