Manchester United have signed midfielder, Jess Park from Manchester City in a swap deal.
Man City have paid an undisclosed transfer fee plus Park for Grace Clinton with both midfielders having had just one year left on their respective contracts.
Park has signed a four-year contract at Man Utd until June 2029 and is “really happy” to have a chance to “break out of the boundaries” with a fresh “challenge” away from Man City.
“I am really happy to be here and can’t wait to get started. I wanted to break out of the boundaries and push myself to take on a new challenge. I’m the sort of person who wants to keep improving and pushing limits, and I think this is the perfect place for me to do that.
“I’m a player who wants the ball, and when I get it I like to look up and try and make things happen for my team-mates, so I think I can fit in really well here. I know the ambitions are very high and I want to help the team push towards them.”
Park also issued a farewell message to City supporters as she spoke of the “family” feel that she experienced at the club.
“Manchester City has been my home for eight years. The staff, the players, the back-room staff, I all class as family.
“This club has taught me things I will take with me for the rest of my life on and off the pitch and I wanted to say thank you to everyone at City for supporting me along this journey, I am so grateful for that.
“I have enjoyed every year that I have been a part of this amazing club, watching it grow and you watching me grow. The family in which the players have become is one that is incredible, and I truly thank them for allowing me to be part of that.
“I’ve had so many amazing moments at this club that will last a lifetime that I am incredibly proud of.
“I will keep them close to my heart forever, but my favourite moments were the ones with the team every single day, week in week out. The laughter and enjoyment we have shared I will remember forever. I have made friends for life and I will forever be grateful for them.
“Finally, I would like to thank the amazing City fans, you have taken me in as one of your own when I came here at just 16 years old, and seeing you with my name on your shirt and hearing my name chanted across the Joie Stadium is a dream I was privileged enough to live!
“This decision has been one of the hardest I have ever had to make but I just want to play football, and I hope you can all understand that.
“So, on that, thank you and goodbye from Jess.”
Park began her career within the youth setups of Hull City then York City before she moved to Man City in 2017 and she subsequently made her senior debut on 6 December of that year, as she came on as a substitute in a 3-2 victory over Doncaster Belles in that season’s FA WSL Cup.
The now-23 year-old subsequently scored her first senior goal a day shy of the first year since her senior debut as she netted in the same competition against Sheffield Utd on 5 December in a 6-0 victory, en-route to 2018-19 FA WSL Cup.
Park has since gone on to score 22 goals in 119 total appearances across all competitions for City during which she helped the club claim a second FA WSL Cup in 2021-22 season, plus 2019-20 Women’s FA Cup.
At international level, Park came through Under-17, 19 and 23 ranks to make her senior debut for England as a substitute in a 4-0 friendly victory over Japan in November 2022 in just her second senior call-up after she was an unused substitute against USA and Czech Republic in October 2022.
She has since scored three goals in 22 senior appearances for England and was part of the Lionesses’ success UEFA Women’s Euro title defence this summer.
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