Man Utd make offer for Chloe Kelly after Lionesses star demands Man City exit and turns down Brighton move ahead of transfer deadline

According to The BBC, the Red Devils have made a formal approach to sign Kelly. However, there has been no confirmation whether United’s proposal is for a temporary loan deal or a permanent transfer with sources within City indicating that the club is open to parting ways with the 27-year-old. Along with United, Brighton have also reportedly submitted a bid to sign Kelly on loan, but the forward is believed to favour a move to United.

With her contract set to expire in June, Kelly has been concerned about her lack of game time under manager Gareth Taylor. The Lionesses star has started only one of City’s 12 WSL matches this season, raising fears that her limited minutes could jeopardize her place in England’s squad for the 2025 European Championship.

On Wednesday evening, Kelly took to Instagram to share her dissatisfaction with her current situation. In a heartfelt message, she revealed that she no longer envisions herself staying at City beyond the summer and expressed a strong desire to "be happy again."

“For a long time, I’ve tried to work through professional challenges privately, not commenting publicly, but with my situation increasingly being debated in the public domain, I feel it’s time to be open and transparent, and you heard it from my perspective," Kelly wrote.

“A key lesson I have learned in my life is that whilst I can’t control someone’s negative behaviour towards me, I can control how long I am prepared to tolerate it. From day one, I’ve felt so much love from my team-mates and the fans. With my contract expiring in June I’ve accepted my future is not at this club beyond then.

“With the Euros fast approaching, this summer is a huge one and I want to be in a position to give it my best shot to represent my country. Something which has always filled me with such pride and it is a true honour to do so. However, to be dictated whom I can and can’t join with only four months left of the football season is having a huge impact on not only my career but my mental well-being. The situation has dragged on for too long, it’s disappointing and not right.

“I’m at a pivotal point in my life and my career is so important to me and [it] is very disappointing that the sport we love can make you feel this way, especially after there’s been so much growth in our sport. This is why I’m posting this because I want to make you all aware that we as players dedicate our lives to our sport and our clubs but our dreams can be crushed whilst we live in silence. I am human and I have and will give everything to the game that I love. Ultimately, I just want to be happy again.”

Kelly played a pivotal role in England’s historic Euro 2022 victory, scoring the winning goal against Germany in the final. However, her struggles at club level have cast doubt over her ability to maintain her spot in Sarina Wiegman’s squad ahead of another major tournament.

With Kelly’s dissatisfaction now public knowledge, a move away from Manchester City seems inevitable. However, with the WSL transfer window set to close at 11 PM GMT on January 30, she faces a race against time to secure a transfer before the deadline.