Sheffield United Women have announced that Keri Matthews and Lucy Watson will remain at the club for the 2020/21 season.
The England youth team duo both arrived at the club last season, with 17-year-old Matthews coming via York City’s Regional Talent Centre after a spell in the club’s academy when she was younger.
Sixteen-year-old Watson arrived at the club in January shortly after breaking into the first team at Doncaster Rovers Belles.
While neither can sign professional terms until their 18th birthdays, both have shown the talent with both club and country to be involved in the first team set up since arriving.
Matthews started the club’s opening league game of last season at Aston Villa while still only 16 and went on to make 13 appearances before the season ended prematurely in February.
The winger scored her first goal for the club in November’s Continental Cup win at Durham and Matthews is looking forward to continuing her development with the Blades.
“I learned a lot from last season and now I’m just really excited to get back with the team and get started for next season.”
Watson meanwhile is yet to make her professional debut due to the early end of the 2019/20 season and international camps with England shortly after joining in January.
An exciting winger with plenty of talent, Watson will continue to be part of the first team set up when the squad returns to training next week, and she too is looking forward to really kicking things off ahead of the new season.
“I’m really excited now to start the season properly with the team after joining at the start of the year and to see what the season ahead holds for us a squad.”
