England U-19 forward Lauren Hemp joins FA WSL runners-up Manchester City from fellow top flight side Bristol City, while Tessel Middag and Jane Ross have not had their contracts renewed.
Hemp was named England Young Player of the Year in September 2017 and PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year this April.
Ross was the Blues’ top goalscorer in the 2016 campaign and in total bagged 25 goals in 61 games for the club across all competitions.
Middag clinched two trophies in her first four months but the Dutch star’s City career was sadly hampered by a ten-month cruciate ligament injury sustained in the 2017 Spring Series.
LAUREN HEMP quotes –
On joining Manchester City:
I’m very excited to be here, it’s a massive opportunity for me and I just can’t wait to get started. It’s always been Man City I’ve wanted to go to and to have this opportunity is a dream come true and to have it so early, I just can’t wait.
The facilities are amazing, the atmosphere seems so nice, and the environment and all the people and players…they’re all my role models and for them to now be my teammates I just can’t wait.
Watching the likes of Georgia Stanway and Ellie Roebuck getting first team minutes helped me make that decision to come here.
On training with the current Manchester City squad
[I’m looking forward to working with] the more experienced players, like Steph [Houghton], Nikita Parris, because they’re the ones from a young age I’ve looked up to, want to be like, and now to actually be on the pitch with them each week will be an honour for me.
On her goals:
Short-term, I want to get game time and long-term, on the international stage, I hope to break into the U20s and then hopefully the seniors as well and to keep enjoying my football, keep playing and wanting to improve. I’m very fortunate that Man City have recognised this and have picked me to hopefully move the club forward and help them improve as much as possible.
