Mary Earps Joins London City: A New Ambitious Chapter

Mary Earps has never been shy about standards. Or ambition. So when she talks about a “marker” being put down, people tend to listen.

The former international star has thrown her weight behind London City’s project, signing up to a club she believes is ready to move fast in an unforgiving WSL landscape.

“I’m over the moon to join this club and I’m really looking forward to it,” Earps said, outlining a decision driven less by sentiment and more by alignment. “I feel the club aligns with what I stand for. I can’t wait to get started and to get down to business.”

A Project With Teeth

This is not a move dressed up as a gentle late-career landing spot. Earps has been convinced by a long-term plan that, in her eyes, has real substance: shared values, a clear domestic vision and an ownership group willing to invest hard cash in infrastructure.

“The club’s values represent what I want to represent and they are passionate about what I want to achieve and change the game in a positive way,” she said. Every conversation, she explained, only pulled her further in. “All the conversations have been really positive and every time I spoke with the club I wanted to hear more.”

The centrepiece of that ambition is a new training facility, a tangible sign that owner Michele Kang and her team are not content with simply surviving in the WSL.

“The vision and ambition, including the new training facility is incredible and I’m looking forward to seeing that develop,” Earps said. “It shows what our owner Michele (Kang) and everyone at the club want to do in terms of really going for it. It’s about putting a marker down and saying we want to be competitive in a short space of time.”

Standards in the Goalkeeping Union

Earps is not coming to London City to coast. She talks about sustaining the “exceptional” levels that have defined her career, and she sees the competition around her as a tool, not a threat.

Central to that is her partnership with fellow goalkeeper Elene Lete, who impressed last season with a series of sharp saves and big moments.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside Elene (Lete) and the goalkeeping unit,” Earps said. “Elene made some great saves and interventions last season. Hopefully we can bounce off each other and work hard and enjoy it.”

That phrase – “bounce off each other” – matters. London City’s rise has been built on collective edges, not individual comfort. Earps is stepping into a dressing room that has already shown it can compete; her task is to sharpen that edge again.

Connecting With the Stands

On the other side of the white line, Earps knows the bond with supporters will define how this move feels. She wants noise, expectation, memories.

“My message to the fans is that I’m really excited to get started and make some memories together, I can’t wait to play in front of you all,” she said.

There is also a curiosity there, almost a hunger, to immerse herself in the daily life of the club.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the players, the staff, the style of play and club culture and trying to give everything I can to help the club achieve its collective goals and be as successful as possible.”

Climbing From a Strong Base

London City arrive at this moment from a position of quiet strength. A mid-table finish in their first WSL season in 2025-26 was more than respectable; it was a statement that they belong at this level.

Earps has seen enough of the league to know that staying still is the quickest way to get left behind.

“I feel I still have so much left to give to the game, and that's exactly why I chose London City,” she said. “It won’t be easy, the WSL is extremely competitive. The team had a brilliant 2025-26 season finishing mid-table in their first season, now it’s about climbing the table and working towards finishing as high as possible.”

That is the challenge she has signed up for: not just to protect a platform, but to help drive a club that wants more, and wants it quickly.

For a goalkeeper obsessed with standards and impact, the fit looks anything but casual. Now comes the hard part: turning that shared vision into points, progress and a new place in the WSL hierarchy.