Mary Earps has always been a figure who leads from the front, whether she is guarding England’s goal 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 roster brimming with international talent.
After two seasons in France with Paris Saint‑Germain, Earps is returning to the Women’s Super League, describing the French stint as "a very different environment" that pushed her out of her comfort zone. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports ahead of the league’s kickoff on 4 September, when London City will face her former club Manchester United, she reflected on the personal growth she experienced abroad. "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 said. "As a person, living away from home, immersing yourself in a new language, 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 her time at Manchester United, she spent a season with German powerhouse Wolfsburg, an experience that now gives her a deep empathy for teammates who are making similar transitions. "There are players who are maybe moving clubs for the first time," she noted.
"There are players moving countries, learning new languages. I know how hard that is, but even moving back to England and speaking English, it's still a transition." The Lionesses’ new roster reads like a who’s‑who of women’s football.
The headline signing is Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, who left her boyhood club Barcelona for Bromley. She is joined by fellow Spanish international Mapi Leon and French star Kadidiatou Diani, alongside established WSL talents such as Kosovare Asllani, Delphine Cascarino and Grace Geyoro. The depth of experience in the squad is staggering, yet all of them are newcomers to a club that is essentially starting a new chapter.
Earps acknowledged the mixture of excitement and nervousness that comes with being part of a brand‑new project. "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 situation to the first day of school: "Everyone is nervous because everyone's doing the same thing. 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. I honestly can't speak highly enough of the group that I've experienced so far and they've been brilliant at welcoming me." Competition for the No.1 shirt will be fierce.
Earps will likely contend with last season’s starter Elene Lete, who recently extended her contract, as well as younger goalkeepers Sophia Poor and Sophie Hillyerd. The goalkeeping hierarchy is still being defined, and the final decision will depend on form, training performances and how quickly each player adapts to the team’s defensive system. Defensively, London City will need to tighten up.
They conceded 35 goals last season – a respectable tally but still more than the league’s elite. For context, Manchester City and Arsenal together allowed just 33 goals, while Chelsea’s defence was the stingiest, conceding only 20. If the Lionesses aspire to challenge the traditional “Big Three,” they must dramatically improve their defensive record. When asked how she plans to help solidify the back line, Earps emphasized the importance of understanding individual nuances.
"It’s getting to know them because every individual is so different," she explained. "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’re going to take up in the box or how they like to receive the ball – do they like it in front of them, at their feet? 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 first test will be the opening fixture against Manchester United at Hayes Lane, broadcast live on Sky Sports. The match carries extra emotional weight for Earps, who spent five years at United and helped the club win an FA Cup under former manager Marc Skinner.
"I have incredible memories there and met some incredible people," she said. "I know the club has changed a lot. There aren’t many familiar faces left, but they still have fantastic players.
It will be a really tough game, but I love a challenge. The support of United is always fantastic, home and away, so I know they’ll come to Bromley and try to make it a difficult atmosphere for us." Reflecting on her time with United, Earps recalled the excitement of that FA Cup triumph. "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 reach 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 squarely on her own new chapter and the historic moment she shares with London City. The summer’s headline‑grabbing signings have set high expectations, but translating star power into on‑field success is a different challenge altogether. Fans will be watching closely to see whether the blend of experience, talent and fresh enthusiasm can turn the Lionesses into a genuine contender in the WSL.
As the season unfolds, Earps remains optimistic. "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. But there’s a lot of experience in the room as well. We’re all bonded by that experience and maybe bumping into each other or playing against each other in some way.
I can’t speak highly enough of the group that I’ve experienced so far and they’ve been brilliant at welcoming me." Whether she ends up as the undisputed No.1 or shares duties with her teammates, Earps’ leadership, experience and willingness to adapt will be crucial as London City aims to rewrite its own history and carve a lasting place in women’s football.