Mary Earps has built a reputation for leading boldly, whether commanding England's defence or championing reform across the women's game. When London City Lionesses began assembling their ambitious roster this summer, the veteran goalkeeper was among the first to commit, arriving as part of a transformative recruitment drive.
After two years competing in France with Paris Saint-Germain, Earps has returned to English football, describing her time abroad as
a very different environment. According to the club's official announcement, the 33-year-old signed a two-year contract with London City, committing herself until 2028.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports before the WSL's resumption on 4 September, when London City host her former employers Manchester United, Earps reflected on her continental education.
I really feel like I was able to go away and work on myself for a couple of years. There were things in my game that I've been able to kind work on as well.
The psychological dimension of relocating proved equally formative.
As a person, living away from home, immersing yourself in a new language, in a new culture, a new city, a new country, it teaches you a lot of things about yourself. It gives you space to reflect and figure out more about who you are and who you want to be as a person.
Earps' willingness to embrace major moves is well-established. Before joining Manchester United, she spent a season with German powerhouse Wolfsburg, an experience that now informs her understanding of the adjustment her new teammates face.
There's people who are maybe moving clubs for the first time. There's people moving countries, speaking different languages. I know how hard that is, but even moving back to England and speaking English, it's still a transition.
Building a continental force
The calibre of talent now assembled at London City is extraordinary. Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas departed her childhood club Barcelona to join the Bromley-based side, bringing with her Barcelona teammate Mapi Leon. French international Kadidiatou Diani completed the trio of marquee arrivals. These signings complement existing squad members including Kosovare Asllani, Delphine Cascarino and Grace Geyoro, creating a squad of genuine European pedigree.
Despite their individual accomplishments, these players navigate the shared experience of joining a newly established entity. Earps articulated the peculiar dynamic:
I feel very much part of the newness of it all, and it's nice when other people are experiencing that for the first time as well, but even the players that have been here before, they've maybe only been here a year or so.
She emphasised the historical significance of this moment.
But that's what happens when you're a brand new entity and it's exciting because you get to be a part of that history, and I do believe that London City will go on to do incredible things for a long time. That's a massive reason why I came here.
The collective nervousness of integration, Earps suggested, becomes a unifying force.
It's great in a way because it's like everyone's first day at school. You say 'oh, I'm so nervous', but everyone is nervous because everyone's doing the same thing.
Yet the squad possesses formidable collective experience.
But there's a lot of experience in the room as well. A lot of the players have won trophies, have incredible pedigree, so we're all bonded by that experience and maybe bumping into each other or playing against each other in some way.
Earps praised the reception she has received.
I honestly can't speak highly enough of the group that I've experienced so far and they've been brilliant at welcoming me.
Competing for the number one shirt
Earps' position as London City's primary goalkeeper remains undecided. She will compete for the starting role alongside Elene Lete, who retained her place by signing a new contract this summer. Sophia Poor and Sophie Hillyerd also feature within the goalkeeping contingent, ensuring genuine competition for the jersey.
Defensive solidity represents a critical objective for the club's ambitions. London City conceded 35 WSL goals last season—a figure that, while not the worst in the division, falls significantly short of the standards set by the league's elite. Manchester City and Arsenal combined to concede just 33 goals, whilst Chelsea's defensive record of 20 goals conceded demonstrates the gulf between the established powers and challengers. Any realistic bid to dethrone the Big Three demands a dramatic improvement in defensive organisation.
Building that defensive cohesion with unfamiliar personnel presents a multifaceted challenge. Earps outlined the granular work required:
It's getting to know them because every individual is so different. It's a lot of small details which make a big difference.
The positional variations demand particular attention.
Full-back and centre-back are two very different positions. Then you've got everyone's individual qualities and that is probably the hardest part - getting to know things like their starting positions, how they want to do the recovery runs, what position they going to take up in the box or how they like to receive the ball - do they like it in front of them, at them? Are they going to take two steps forward?
The relationship must flow bidirectionally.
And equally, they've got to get to know me, understand my position and where I like to be, what type of goalkeeper I am, so it's a lot of working it out on the pitch.
Earps described her approach to accelerating this process.
I sometimes grab a conversation over lunch or in between reps and we're bouncing ideas off each other all the time.
Manchester United reunion
According to the fixture announcement, London City's opening test arrives on Friday 4 September at 7pm BST, when they host Manchester United at Hayes Lane in a match broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Earps' former club has endured a turbulent summer. Manchester United lost several key personnel and underwent a managerial transition, with Eva Olid, previously in charge at Hearts, replacing Marc Skinner. Skinner departed by mutual consent after five years in the role.
Earps' tenure at Old Trafford spanned five years and yielded profound memories.
I was at Man Utd for five years. I have incredible memories there and met some incredible people. I know the club has changed a lot. There's not so many of the faces there that I know, but equally, they still have incredible players.
She anticipated a demanding encounter.
It will be a really tough game, but I'm looking forward to it and I love a challenge. The support of Man Utd is always fantastic, home and away, so I know they'll come to Bromley and try and make it a difficult atmosphere for us.
Earps acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Manchester United's summer restructuring but reserved particular affection for Skinner's contribution.
I don't know the ins and outs of everything, but I won an FA Cup with Marc and I will always really cherish that memory. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it, to be honest.
She recognised Skinner's broader legacy at the club.
He also helped the club get to three other finals, so I think that speaks for itself and I wish him all the best in his next chapter.
A defining season ahead
Earps now embarks upon another transformative chapter, one that coincides with a pivotal moment in London City's institutional history. The summer's recruitment represents an audacious statement of intent, assembling players of continental calibre in pursuit of challenging England's established hierarchy. Whether this headline-grabbing recruitment translates into on-pitch success remains to be determined, but the narrative surrounding London City's 2026-27 campaign will captivate observers throughout the season.
According to London City's official confirmation, Earps joined the club on 1 July 2026 as part of their summer recruitment drive, which also included Nicole Anyomi from Eintracht Frankfurt among other significant signings. The goalkeeper's arrival, combined with the assembly of continental talent, positions London City as genuine contenders in a competition long dominated by Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.
