Mary Earps has always been a figure who leads from the front, whether she is guarding England’s net or using her platform to spotlight challenges within the women's game. This summer, she was the first player to sign for the London City Lionesses as they assembled a squad brimming with high‑profile talent.
After a two‑year stint with Paris Saint‑Germain in France – an experience she describes as "a very different environment" – the England goalkeeper is returning to the Women's Super League. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports ahead of the league’s kick‑off on September 4, when London City will meet her former club Manchester United, Earps reflected on her recent journey: "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 of work on as well." She went on to explain how living abroad reshaped her outlook: "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 has never shied away from bold moves. Before joining Manchester United, she spent a season with German powerhouse Wolfsburg, and that continental experience now gives her a unique empathy for teammates who are also navigating new surroundings.
"There are players who are moving clubs for the first time," she noted. "There are 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." The Lionesses’ recruitment drive has produced a truly eye‑catching roster. The headline signing is Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, who left her lifelong club Barcelona for Bromley. She is joined by fellow Spanish international Mapi Leon and French star Kadidiatou Diani, alongside established names such as Kosovare Asllani, Delphine Cascarino and Grace Geyoro. While the squad is packed with super‑stars, everyone is still a newcomer to the club – a situation that can be intimidating but also fosters a strong sense of camaraderie essential for success.
Earps summed up the atmosphere: "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 likened the start of this chapter to a first day at school: "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." At the same time, the dressing room is rich with experience. Many of the signings have lifted trophies and possess impressive pedigrees, creating a bond built on shared achievement. "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 said.
She praised the warm welcome she has received, adding, "I honestly can't speak highly enough of the group that I've experienced so far and they've been brilliant at welcoming me." It remains to be seen whether Earps will claim the No.1 jersey outright. She will likely compete with last season’s starter Elene Lete, who renewed her contract over the summer, as well as Sophia Poor and Sophie Hillyerd, who are also in the goalkeeping pool. Defensively, London City will aim to tighten up after conceding 35 goals last season – a respectable figure but still higher than the league’s elite.
For context, the top two teams, Manchester City and Arsenal, allowed just 33 goals combined, while Chelsea kept a stingy 20 clean sheets. To challenge the established “Big Three,” the Lionesses must dramatically improve their defensive record.
When asked how a former WSL Golden Glove winner plans to help solidify the back line, Earps emphasized the importance of understanding each defender’s nuances: "It's getting to know them because every individual is so different. It's a lot of small details which make a big difference. 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 are 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?" She added that the relationship works both ways. "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.
I sometimes grab a conversation over lunch or in between reps and we're bouncing ideas off each other all the time." London City’s inaugural test of the new era will come on September 4, when they host Manchester United at Hayes Lane, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Earps reflected on her former club’s recent turmoil – a summer that saw key departures and a change of manager, with former Hearts boss Eva Olid replacing Marc Skinner after his five‑year tenure ended by mutual consent. "I was at Man Utd for five years.
I have incredible memories there and met some incredible people," Earps said. "I know the club has changed a lot. There aren't as many familiar faces now, but they still have fantastic players. 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 to make it a difficult atmosphere for us." She also paid tribute to her former manager: "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. 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." Now, Earps’ focus is on writing her own new chapter and contributing to a landmark season for London City.
Whether the headline‑grabbing summer signings translate into on‑field success remains to be seen, but the excitement surrounding the project is undeniable – a story that fans and players alike are unlikely to forget anytime soon.