Man Utd boss Marc Skinner on Mary Earps' future: "Of course, I want Mary to stay. I have been very clear on that. That's the business side of the game and I deal with the football side. The club are working through with Mary on what the deal looks like. I sit here hopeful."
Wednesday 13 December 2023 18:06, UK
Man Utd boss Marc Skinner has reiterated his desire to keep England goalkeeper Mary Earps at the club amid uncertainty over her future.
Earps' contract at United runs out next summer and she attracted interest from Arsenal last summer.
United turned down a world-record offer for a goalkeeper in women's football from Arsenal for the England No 1, who helped the Lionesses reach the Women's World Cup final in August before losing 1-0 to Spain.
United refused to sell even with Earps' contract running out and a "hopeful" Skinner has once again said he wants her to stay at the club.
"Of course, I want Mary to stay," Skinner said.
"I have been very clear on that the whole way throughout. That's the business side of the game and I deal with the football side.
"The club are working through with Mary on what the deal looks like," he added.
"I sit here hopeful. I play Mary because of how good she is for us. I want Mary to stay at this club.
"I think the [talks] are exactly where it was right now but they are having conversations around it. It's with the club to continue with that. I've been clear - I can't be any more clear - that I want Mary to stay at this club.
"She's a huge part of what I want to do and build here but we'll continue to have those conversations."
Earps could add further recognition to her fine season after the England and Manchester United goalkeeper was nominated for the Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper award.
The 30-year-old helped the Lionesses to the World Cup final, where she saved a penalty in a 1-0 defeat to Spain.
She won the FIFA Best award last year and is looking to retain the honour, having already been named England Women's Player of the Year and in the Women's Super League team of the year, while also leading the betting for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
She is up against Spain's Catalina Coll and Mackenzie Arnold of Australia and West Ham, with the winner announced at a ceremony in London on January 15.
England kit manufacturer Nike were criticised when they did not make replica goalkeeper kits available for purchase before last summer's tournament.
Earps said it was "hurtful" fans could not buy her replica goalkeeper's shirt.
However, they then announced a U-turn in October, allowing fans to buy the women's home, away and third goalkeeper shirts through the FA website, but even with no formal announcement about their availability, all available supply was quickly snapped up.
England supporters were then given another chance to secure the goalkeeper jersey ahead of Christmas, with the FA announcing women's and junior sizes would go on sale at 8am on Monday December 11 and the much larger batch of Earps' shirts almost completely sold out the same day.
