Birmingham City have secured two signings, both from Manchester United. It comes after the Women’s side were promoted into the Women’s Super League after five years at the end of last season.
Defender Millie Turner is set to leave Manchester United for Birmingham after eight years. Lisa Naalsund will also be joining Birmingham after three and a half seasons at United.
It is believed that both players will be joining on a three-year contract. The Blues are said to have paid an undisclosed fee to the Red Devils.
Millie Turner
Turner has played for the Red Devils for eight years and is the second-longest-serving player for their women’s team, with only Ella Toone representing the club for longer.
The defender supported United in every match during their WSL2 win in 2019. She was also a key member of the squad during their 2024 FA Cup win.
Director of women’s football Matt Johnson described her time with the squad:
“Millie’s contribution to Manchester United Women has been immense, she is a great professional and a fantastic leader, and has played a vital role in everything we have achieved throughout the last eight years.
“It is important that she now has the opportunity to go and enjoy more regular game time at this stage of her career. However, her impact at our club will continue long after she has departed with her unique character having played a key role in shaping the culture of our group.”
Lisa Naalsund
Naalsund joined Manchester United in 2023. Since then, she has made 74 appearances for the club and has scored eight goals.
The 31-year-old started against Tottenham Hotspur during their 2024 FA Cup campaign. During this match, she secured two assists, contributing to their eventual 4-0 win.
Taking to Instagram, she shared heartfelt words on her experiences with the club, describing in detail how much she will miss the team after her move to Birmingham.
A New Start at Birmingham
It has been announced that the two will make a move to Birmingham City on a permanent basis. The international players were announced by the Blues on the same day.
Highlighting her excitement to join the club, Turner described her hopes for the future:
“When I had the chats with the club, they just gave me instantly a very good feeling about it. When you’re debating which club to go to, it’s always that feeling in your stomach, and that just decides where you go.
Birmingham’s Gain, United’s Loss
After regaining their place in the WSL, it is crucial that Birmingham build a squad to battle the ever-growing professionalism within the top flight. Turner and Naalsund will certainly bring the knowledge and creativity needed.
The main benefit of signing the two players is their knowledge of playing alongside one another. This will help them to fit into the team, having each other to work with and making their integration into the team smoother.
However, the signing of the pair is a huge loss for the Red Devils. Losing the loyalty of two players at once is bound to affect team cohesion, and replacements will need to be found swiftly.
