Page 5 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.18 2020-21

Manchester City Football Club is delighted to announce that Laura
Coombs and Ellen White have each signed a two-year contract
extension at the Academy Stadium.
A seasoned figure in the Barclays FA Women's Super League,
Laura initially linked up with the Club in the summer of 2019 after
departing Liverpool and has made 34 appearances in league and cup
for City so far, scoring five goals.
The 29-year-old had previously played for Arsenal and
Chelsea amongst a handful of loan spells with Nottingham Forest,
Barnet and Los Angeles Strikers.
Also an England international having made her debut for the
Lionesses in October 2015, she was a regular figure for the national
team at youth level prior to her first senior call up.
A mainstay in the top flight of women's football in the UK,
Coombs has now committed her immediate future to Manchester
City by penning a new two-year deal with Gareth Taylor's side.
Speaking about her extension, she said: "It feels great to have
signed a new contract here at City - it was an easy choice for me to
make. I feel settled and happy, both on and off the pitch, so it was a
natural decision for me to stay.
"It's an amazing environment to be a part of - we are treated
like ultimate professionals and as players, we can't ask for anything
more.
"In my first season, I felt as though it was a bit of an
adjustment period for me but this past year, I think I've shown what
I can bring to the team, both technically and tactically, and doing
that within such a high quality squad has been amazing.
"Moving forward though, I'm determined to keep on developing and improving to help the
team."
A stalwart of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, 32-year-old Ellen initially linked up with
City in the summer of 2019 and has scored 24 goals in 55 appearances in all competitions so far,
including 15 during the recent 2020-21 campaign.
The experienced forward has enjoyed a successful career so far having played for the likes of
Chelsea, Leeds, Arsenal, Notts County and Birmingham City prior to her switch to City, and arrived
in Manchester with a plethora of medals and trophies to her name.
A three-time Continental Cup and double WSL title and Women’s FA Cup winner with Arsenal,
she added to her successes last year when helping City to their second successive Women’s FA Cup
in November.
On the international scene meanwhile, the striker has been a constant figure for the Lionesses
and boasts 34 goals in 95 appearances for England since her debut in March 2010, while she was a
Bronze Boot winner in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Speaking about her extension, she said: “I'm delighted to have everything sorted. I've really
enjoyed the last two seasons and I’m excited for what the future holds for this team and to be a part
of it.
“We've got some really talented players here and I've really enjoyed working with Gareth
[Taylor], so I can’t wait to continue that journey for the next couple of years – it was a really easy
decision for me.
“I still want to develop too as a player - I'm 32, but I still want to learn and get better. I'm
surrounded by a great group of players who constantly push each other to improve in a competitive
environment.
“We’ve already won the FA Cup, but we don't want to sit back - I really want to help the team
to achieve some big things in the coming years and that’s a big part of the reason that I’ve committed
my future to this Club.”
City have also announced this week that American duo Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis are
returning to their respective clubs at OL Reign and North Carolina Courage following the end of the
season, whilst Megan Campbell will also be leaving the club.
Issue no. 18 - 20 May 2021 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk