Ella Toone staying put for now! Man Utd confirm one-year extension for Lionesses star and three more key players with club 'working hard' to negotiate new long-term deals

It was first reported in the Guardian last week that Toone, Terland, Naalsund and George would be sticking around for at least another season, after the club had exercised options in their contracts. No official announcement has since come from Man Utd but head coach Marc Skinner did confirm the reports on Thursday, speaking to the media in his press conference ahead of Saturday's trip to Arsenal. "They're all under contract," he clarified. "Those players are all under contract now for another 18 months."

It's big news for United, with Toone a key player who came through the club's academy and has been part of the first team since the Red Devils reformed a senior side back in 2018. To lose her would've been a big blow and certainly an unpopular outcome among fans. Terland, too, has proven herself to be a real asset since joining the club in the summer of 2024, scoring 22 goals in her 47 appearances to date, with 10 in 20 this season. Naalsund and George, meanwhile, have been important squad players for United this year as they get to grips with the challenge of competing on four fronts, having qualified for the Women's Champions League proper for the first time. 

The news also continues the extremely positive feeling around United at the start of this January transfer window. The Red Devils needed to add depth to this squad to allow it to be stronger in four competitions and they have done that promptly, recruiting right-back Hanna Lundkvist after an impressive season in the United States with the San Diego Wave and prolific striker Lea Schuller, who netted 103 times in 180 appearances for Bayern Munich. Throw in the contract extension given to Japan midfielder Hinata Miyazawa in between those two signings, keeping her at the club until 2029, and there has been plenty for fans to be pleased with over the last few weeks, with United showing that they mean business ahead of the second half of the season.

United's key focus throughout January will be to add to the signings of Lundkvist and Schuller, with Skinner admitting on Thursday that he still wants to add to this squad this month "because I still think we need a little bit more depth in certain areas". At the same time, though, there is work to be done in tying down Toone and others down for even longer than just another 18 months and that is work that Skinner says is taking place.

"The club always, in part of their contract conversations, add option years in. It's the same my contract. The reason we've done that is because it gives you that window then to negotiate for potential new contracts," he explained, speaking about the extensions of Toone, Terland, Naalsund and George. "It was always the way with those four players. Those are four players that we're having constant conversations with behind the scenes and Matt [Johnson, director of women’s football] and the team are working hard on that. They've been fantastic for us and the club will continue to work to try and find solutions for extensions, hopefully, for them."

That United have only extended the contracts of four of the seven players whose deals were set to expire this summer, though, raises questions elsewhere in the squad. Leah Galton, part of this team since it was reformed in 2018; Rachel Williams, the veteran striker who has been a very impactful player from the bench at times during her three and a half seasons in Manchester; and Hannah Blundell, the dynamic full-back who is just returning to action after having her first child last March, are all set to become free agents this summer.

Could they still have options in their contracts exercised in the coming weeks? Are they players that United want to keep around until at least the end of this season, so not to reduce the depth in the squad just as they are trying to add to it? Or are these players that could be up for grabs in January? That could be another factor in United's lively start to the winter transfer window, with the Athletic now reporting that Williams will leave to join Leicester City this month.