Bristol Metropolis have signed the Wales midfielder Sophie Ingle on a free switch in a transfer that takes her again to the membership she first joined 11 years in the past.
Ingle left the WSL champions Chelsea when her contract ended final season after a trophy-laden, seven-year spell during which she gained 5 WSL titles, three Ladies's FA Cups and two League Cups, and her transfer to the second-tier will likely be one of many highest-profile WSL 2 signings of the summer time switch window.
She had been an integral a part of the Chelsea aspect that has dominated the WSL period, previous to struggling an anterior cruciate ligament damage final September. She returned to the pitch in time to go to Euro 2025 as a part of Wales' squad and performed of their group-stage fixture towards France in Switzerland, capping a hard-fought journey again to the pitch after 281 days on the sidelines.
A former Wales captain, she has 142 senior worldwide caps for Wales and likewise performed for Workforce GB on the Olympics in Japan in 2021. She was additionally awarded an OBE in 2023 for companies to soccer.
The 33-year-old will return to play for the membership she represented within the 2014/15 marketing campaign – when the ladies's leagues used a summer time calendar and the membership was generally known as Bristol Academy – earlier than becoming a member of Liverpool, the place she was twice named gamers' participant of the 12 months.
Bristol Metropolis are understood to not have been the one membership that tried to signal Ingle this summer time, however she was in the end drawn to the membership's ambition as they search to mount a promotion push.
Her arrival will add to a busy summer time at Bristol Metropolis, who appointed Charlotte Healy as their head coach in June.
Healy moved to Ashton Gate after six years working at Manchester United, the place she in the end turned the assistant coach to the supervisor Marc Skinner. She has additionally beforehand coached at Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis. She changed Steve Kirby, who left Bristol Metropolis in Might after the crew completed second within the Championship, which has since been renamed as WSL 2.
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Liverpool are poised to call Gareth Taylor as their head coach on a long-term contract. Taylor was recognized as the primary selection earlier this summer time however his appointment was delayed by the necessity to resolve a matter regarding his contract at his former membership Manchester Metropolis, who sacked him in March.
Taylor replaces Matt Beard, who left in February. The interim head coach Amber Whiteley is predicted to be named among the many workers working beneath Taylor, who gained an FA Cup and League Cup at Metropolis.
