Mary Earps is trading in the glamour of Paris for a return to the Women's Super League (WSL) – and what a statement it makes. The 33-year-old England international has joined London City Lionesses on a two-year contract, bringing a wealth of experience to the table after stints with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.
The contrast between her arrival at Wolfsburg eight years ago and this week's glamorous photoshoot on the Thames is striking. Back then, it was a makeshift image snapped in a club shop; now it's a full-blown production that shows just how far the women's game – and Earps herself – has come. "The energy and effort put into the shoot, I would never have imagined this even five years ago," she beamed.
So what drew her back to English soil? For Earps, it was a desire to be closer to home that finally tipped the balance in favour of London City Lionesses over staying in Paris. "It's been an amazing time" in the French capital, she conceded, but admitted she'd been "swaying more and more towards coming home" last year. She now wants to make the most of what's left in the tank, scrapping it out every week, playing in front of passionate fans, and being a part of that incredible English football culture once again.
A key factor in her decision was the video call with London City Lionesses' American owner, Michele Kang. Earps was impressed by Kang's dedication to women's football and the energy she brought to the conversation – even amidst a hectic schedule of business ventures. The club itself is an independent, woman-owned entity that finished sixth in its debut WSL season, playing home games in Bromley with training facilities in Kent.
Earps was won over by the tangible plans for a new training centre at Cobdown Park in Ditton, too – and not just because of the promise of world-class facilities. She knows all too well that broken promises can be rife in women's sports; London City's clear timeline and commitment to delivering felt like a breath of fresh air.