Lionesses star Grace Clinton is hoping to form a potent partnership with fellow England midfielder Ella Toone after returning to Manchester United.
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Clinton earned England call-up during Spurs loanNow battling for place in Man Utd midfieldHopes it can be alongside fellow Lioness TooneWHAT HAPPENED?
After struggling to break into the Man Utd team, Clinton spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Tottenham and thrived, so much so that she earned her first senior England call-up and was named PFA Young Player of the Year. Unsurprisingly, Spurs were keen to sign the young midfielder on a permanent transfer this summer, but the Red Devils were eager to integrate her into their side, making it clear that she was going to be part of their plans moving into the 2024-25 season.
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Fans will now been intrigued to see where Clinton fits into Marc Skinner's team. She sometimes played on the left at Spurs but appears more likely to play in midfield in Manchester, which could potentially clash with the playmaking role that Toone holds. However, Clinton is hopeful that the pair can play together.
WHAT CLINTON SAID
"When I made my [England] debut, I played with Tooney. I enjoyed that one so much," Clinton said this week, speaking at the Women's Super League's season launch media day. "She makes me feel so comfortable. I do love playing with her and we've done well so far. We’ve been on the same team in pre-season. Obviously, I don't know what that looks like when the league starts but for me, if I get to play with her, then I'll be really, really happy."
Asked what fans can expect to see from her this season, after a productive loan spell at Spurs, the 21-year-old said: "Being back at United, Marc has reassured me, saying, ‘Don't come in and feel like you have to prove anything, just come in and settle in and just keep enjoying it’. But they are going to see a more experienced, probably a fitter Grace Clinton, and I'll probably have a different role than I did at Tottenham because it's a completely different team. Hopefully I can impress them."
DID YOU KNOW?
It's not just the fans that Clinton will be keen to impress. In February, she made her England debut and has been part of Sarina Wiegman's side for every camp since, thanks to some good performances. Showing strong form at club level will be important to stay in the picture, which is particularly significant given there is a European Championships next summer.
"To get into tournaments like that, you need to have a lot of game time so that's the first thing I'm striving for," Clinton said. "I want to be on the pitch every game, for as long as possible. I want to do that and have a big impact on the team this year. Obviously, the first thing is that we want to win things with United, we have that expectation, but it is every kid's dream to be on that list for the Euros. It’s a big aim and I want to get that."