Grace Clinton has left Manchester United for Manchester City after winning the Euros with England this summer; Jess Park has made a move in the opposite direction; Sky Sports' Laura Hunter analyses whether losing Clinton is a step back for Mark Skinner's side
Laura Hunter
Pictured: Grace Clinton has swapped Manchester United for Manchester City in a deal that includes Jess Park.
History shows that transfers from one Manchester club to another are not usually welcomed. They are so shrouded in scandal that they usually do not happen very often.
Only a few players dared to make the short journey across the city in the men's tournament, and even fewer in the women's.
So the decision by English duo Grace Clinton and Jess Park to swap halves of Manchester City ahead of the new Women's Super League season may come as a surprise. Football purists will say it should never have happened. Manchester United fans will say they know the feeling all too well.
Clinton, 22, is one of the best young midfielders in the WSL. Her rapid rise since leaving Manchester United on loan to gain experience at Tottenham two years ago has been impressive, and her potential at both club and international level outstrips almost all her peers.
Pictured: Clinton (left) played for England in a major tournament for the first time this summer.
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United always had long-term plans for Clinton and a move to the Manchester club was not intended to be a move. But getting a significant fee for a player with just 12 months left on his contract and avoiding another fiasco where such an important player leaves for free is important in this case.
Mark Skinner has faced adversity before. Since Alessia Russo left for Arsenal and Ona Batlle for Barcelona that same summer, neither of which was about money, manager Skinner has faced criticism for Manchester United's questionable business acumen and perceived lack of ambition.
The journalists were right to question the direction they were heading in. Manchester United have been in a state of near limbo for years now, with enough talent and promise to show progress but not enough to consistently challenge for trophies beyond the FA Cup in 2024.
Clinton is a winner and will be. At 22, she is already a European champion. In August (when she was still playing for Manchester United), she told Sky Sports: “This summer has been a unique experience. I don't think I've realised it, sometimes it just hits me and I think, 'I've won the Euros.'
“I don't believe it myself. It's inspiring to know that I can be part of such a special group, to win trophies. It's just incredible.”
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Clinton scored a 40-yard goal for Manchester United last season.
And perhaps that is why Clinton was initially keen to join Manchester City, a club that had long shown interest in the Liverpudlian, even before this summer.
Players with her exceptional versatility and talent want to play in the most important matches, on the most important stages, with the prospect of winning trophies. They feel they deserve it.
Historically, City have always been at the forefront of their development, although Manchester United's only FA Cup title came later than City's last notable triumph, the League Cup in 2022.
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Clinton scored a 40-yard goal for Manchester United last season.
Even Manchester United's participation in the Champions League this year wasn't enough of a reason to stay. For Clinton, it's a long-term matter. In her resignation statement on Instagram, she wrote: “I feel the future of the club and we are not on the same page.” Ouch.
With new Manchester City manager Andre Jaeglertz – a progressive coach who favours technical players – Clinton clearly feels she has a better chance of immediate success.
Of course, titles and trophies tend to have a huge impact at the elite level. Once you get a taste, you inevitably want more. And there is no doubt that England’s achievements were a turning point for Clinton. He told Sky Sports: “I’ve learned to play a lot of different roles this summer.”
Pictured: Grace Clinton and Jess Park won Euro 2025 together with England this summer.
“And I saw the attitude of world-class players, how they work and recover. Lucy Bronze in an ice bath at three in the morning. Keira Walsh never leaves the gym. They have a different mindset, habits they use every day. I learned a lot mentally. It made me even hungrier.”
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This is a player destined for the highest positions, capable of getting there quickly. And now he has the opportunity to form an unrivalled midfield partnership with Yui Hasegawa at Manchester City, the only player in the league to make more tackles than Clinton last season (86). The league has hardly seen a better midfielder.
Many will be persuaded by the argument that this is a bad deal for Manchester United, and there is some logic to that, but Skinner at least has options to fall back on, including new signings Giulia Ziggiotti Olme, Hinata Miyazawa and young Canadian Simi Awujo, although the outlook remains bleak.
Clinton is the player the team is built around, a future captain who, in her own words, wants to “do it all.”
Pictured: Clinton is a combative midfielder who was second only to Yui Hasegawa in tackles last season.
“I like to help the team get out of difficult situations and I love making tackles. The feeling when you pass the ball and help someone score a goal is like cooking someone's dinner. I want to do everything.”
There will of course be a backlash, although Park's arrival will help soften the blow. And that's not to detract from her many strengths. Arguably, she's better balanced than Skinner's setup at the top of the pitch. The 23-year-old has Champions League experience and could push Ella Thun into the No.10 role or play a bigger role.
Her goalscoring ability will also be a major asset if Skinner wants to take some of the pressure off last year's top scorer Elizabeth Thurland. But the fact remains that Manchester United are losing a world-class player to a direct competitor. And not for the first time.
Sourse: skysports.com
