England No.1 Mary Earps has explained why she and Ella Toone used to "clash" at Manchester United.
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Goalkeeper and attacking midfielder bonded
Intense relationship led to arguments
Earps now taking on new challenge at PSG
WHAT HAPPENED?
Earps and Toone shared a pitch for Manchester United after the goalkeeper arrived in 2019, helping the club win the FA Cup in 2024. The pair enjoyed an intense relationship, and the latter has expressed her sadness at the stopper agreeing to move to PSG, although she accepts the switch is motivated by a desire for Earps to challenge herself.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The pair have also tasted success for England, winning the European Championship in 2022, and reaching the final of the World Cup in 2023. The Lionesses will continue to be the link between the pair as Earps heads across the Channel.
WHAT EARPS AND TOONE SAID
Speaking on the Tooney & Russo show, Toone said that she was "really sad" Earps was leaving, having seen Alessia Russo move to Arsenal last summer, and added: "She deserves everything. Mary's dream - and it always has been - is to play at the highest level, play in the Champions League and that's what she's done."
Earps admitted that she "clashed a lot" with Toone because of their "big personalities" when she arrived in Manchester, but says they have "bonded a lot" in recent months.
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Earps is heading to Paris while Toone is preparing for United's new Women's Super League season. It remains to be seen if the former will be successful following her move, but she has doubled down on her main reason for joining PSG. "The opportunity to play for a great team in top competitions and be in a position to win silverware," she added. "It's like an itch you can never scratch enough.”