Nikita Parris | leaves to join Brighton
- Thread starter Ayush_reddevil
- Start date
We have an International winner! Big moves.
First to state the obvious. On form, she's great to watch and was one of the first players who really caught my eye years ago when she played for City and england. She is not just WSL-proven, she's a proven trophy winner at the club level.
Then there are the misgivings - that start with her misjudged celebrations with other England players and Mark Sampson (when he'd just been accused of racism) but I know I'm being unfair - she has talked about regretting it since then and not all the players who backed Sampson have done that.
Sticking to the football. I'm hoping to see Leah Galton, Lucia Garcia, Alessia Russo, Ella Toone - I'm not sure where Parris fits. If the answer is it depends on her form (we need the 2019 Parris!) then that's great, we need depth, and if she can displace one of them or even just be a better sub option than Hanson and Clinton then I'll be pleased, she is a great player to watch. I just worry that bringing in someone on top wages and paying a transfer fee means Skinner sees her as a first choice starter and I'm not sure she can get back to that form.
In fact that's probably where a lot of my misgivings come from. We've also signed Rachel Williams and Adriana Leon - lots of squad depth reinforcement for the forward line. Lots of contracts still not renewed - crucially including those for Russo and Batlle. We know we've got a tight budget, so are we getting the priorities right?
Unless of course, United have had a look down the back of the sofa for the pocket money that fell out when Pogba etc left and have sent some new money to the women's team budget.
Then there are the misgivings - that start with her misjudged celebrations with other England players and Mark Sampson (when he'd just been accused of racism) but I know I'm being unfair - she has talked about regretting it since then and not all the players who backed Sampson have done that.
Sticking to the football. I'm hoping to see Leah Galton, Lucia Garcia, Alessia Russo, Ella Toone - I'm not sure where Parris fits. If the answer is it depends on her form (we need the 2019 Parris!) then that's great, we need depth, and if she can displace one of them or even just be a better sub option than Hanson and Clinton then I'll be pleased, she is a great player to watch. I just worry that bringing in someone on top wages and paying a transfer fee means Skinner sees her as a first choice starter and I'm not sure she can get back to that form.
In fact that's probably where a lot of my misgivings come from. We've also signed Rachel Williams and Adriana Leon - lots of squad depth reinforcement for the forward line. Lots of contracts still not renewed - crucially including those for Russo and Batlle. We know we've got a tight budget, so are we getting the priorities right?
Unless of course, United have had a look down the back of the sofa for the pocket money that fell out when Pogba etc left and have sent some new money to the women's team budget.
Whatever we do we can’t lose Russo or battle, these two are essential to becoming more competitive… it’s a interesting signing, when we made it I did wonder where she would fit.
Parris
In red hot form, 15 goals in 18 matches for United this season, yet still no England call-up for Parris, not even for a friendly. 
I agree that her form deserves a call-up, but there is so much attacking strength in the England Women's team right now.In red hot form, 15 goals in 18 matches for United this season, yet still no England call-up for Parris, not even for a friendly.
It is ridiculously competitive, in all positions to be fair. Same with Zelem & Millie.
La femme Nikita
She should have been called up.
This is true. I'm happy for Maya though. She has been excellent this season.
The TV series, or the film? Both were good.
We just get to be greedy and keep her all for ourselves!
Congratulation to Nikita.
Well deserved, she’s been doing well for a while now
Option triggered, so at least we won't lose her on a free
Not a surprise, I think this was predicted for a while. Whether we'll see her as a United player again, who knows.
The club wanted to sell her, she cost the club 2$ million USD when she opted to stay and play the FA-cup final. Perhaps a slightly complex relationship there? Or do reckon Nikita can just put the past away and focus on the future if she stays? Nikita has won over a lot of fans who was not keen on her joining, props to her!
Guess she’s staying then. Wouldn’t make sense to release this statement and then sell her a month later.
I agree, unless it was to make a tidy profit.
I love the fact we're keeping her. If she does stay the season, she'll guarantee a decent goal return and her experience will be invaluable to Melvine and Lizzie. Obviously they're accomplished goalscorers in their own rights, but Keets would be a great mentor alongside Rachel Williams.
Nikita has signed for Brighton, all the best Nikita
Weird one
I know we heard a while ago that she was likely to move but seeing it happen so late in the transfer window is still a surprise. I guess the new arrivals meant that it was inevitable that she would move if she wanted to remain a key player.
Her signing didn't go down well with some United fans initially - but she won over a lot of us with her energy and her skill.
Good luck and all the best to Keets.
Her signing didn't go down well with some United fans initially - but she won over a lot of us with her energy and her skill.
Good luck and all the best to Keets.
Constantly surprised by the players we allow to leave.
I’m not too worried about her departure, and it feels like we have replaced her before she has been sold - which is a nice change (although we did get Tullis Joyce before Earps left tbf). She was great two seasons ago, but last season was pretty up and down. My memory is pretty bad, but I don’t remember her starting many games last year. At the very least we triggered her extension so we got a few for her, I wonder what’s she thinks about turning down the opportunity in the states before the fa cup?
She played nearly every game in the league last year, mostly as the striker, and she was our top goalscorer in the league. So she was very important to us last year. Still, this seems like a good move for all parties. Now we have a proper striker in Terland, hopefully we’ll be scoring much more than we did last season. And we go into the season with Galton, Malard, Geyse and Bizet as our wide options so I think Parris’ playing time would’ve dropped significantly anyway.
Ha, told you my memory was bad! Maybe her stand out performances were away from home, we haven’t done any away games yet. Will be travelling to the northern away games this year, let’s hope I remember what I see
Excellent business by the club, getting her to sign an extension in order to get a fee, if this were the men's squad people would be lauding it as genius.
Considering she has been replaced already by a new signing this really isn't much to be concerned about at all.
Considering she has been replaced already by a new signing this really isn't much to be concerned about at all.
We are well stocked with attackers now so makes sense
Essentially we swapped Parris for Terland and one experienced old timer (Williams) upfront is enough
Essentially we swapped Parris for Terland and one experienced old timer (Williams) upfront is enough
She was top scorer for United in the league last season although it was only 8 goals. We've essentially replaced her with Terland who scored twice as many and Bizet, I hope we don't miss the extra goals she would have likely added from the bench but letting her leave at 30 isnt the end of the world plus Malard and Williams both got 5 with a lot less minutes. Hopefully Malard and Geyse both score more next season
I think that's been part of the general pattern of squad change this summer. We've been replacing older players, including some where their next contact was likely to be their last pro contract, with younger ones.
I don't know how it'll work out in practice but it's an exciting moment - a bit of a journey into the unknown like Casey Stoney's originals. Of course this time around we're doing it with young players who are already full internationals.
At any rate I'm not surprised we've let Nikita go, even though she's done well for us despite a rocky start. I'm glad she got a WFA Cup medal out of it as well.
I don't know how it'll work out in practice but it's an exciting moment - a bit of a journey into the unknown like Casey Stoney's originals. Of course this time around we're doing it with young players who are already full internationals.
At any rate I'm not surprised we've let Nikita go, even though she's done well for us despite a rocky start. I'm glad she got a WFA Cup medal out of it as well.
Think this is a decent move, no?