England keeper Earps joins PSG from Man Utd

Mary Earps has played 50 times for England since her debut in 2017

England goalkeeper Mary Earps has signed a two-year deal to join Paris St-Germain on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old joins the French club following the expiry of her Manchester United contract.

United offered Earps a new deal but after much deliberation she rejected it, saying the club are preparing to "undergo a period of transition" that "did not align" with where she is in her career.

"I'm very honoured to become a Parisian and I can't wait to play alongside my new team-mates," Earps said.

"Together, we're going to give our all to help the club shine and make our fans proud.

"I'm determined to contribute to our future success so that Paris St-Germain continues to rank among Europe's top clubs."

United finished fifth in the Women's Super League (WSL) last season, 20 points behind champions Chelsea, but won the FA Cup.

PSG reached the semi-finals of last season's Champions League but were defeated by Lyon.

Earps joins a number of high-profile players leaving United on free transfers in recent years.

Last week United confirmed captain Katie Zelem had left the club after not being offered a new contract, while Spain forward Lucia Garcia joined Mexican side Monterrey.

Last summer striker Alessia Russo moved to Arsenal and Ona Batlle went to Barcelona, also both on free transfers.

Earps was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023 in December after her starring role in England's run to their first World Cup final.

She played every minute of England's seven World Cup matches, conceding only four goals and keeping three clean sheets as well as saving a penalty in the final, which England lost 1-0 to Spain.

The Nottingham-born keeper was previously part of England's Euro 2022 triumph, helping the Lionesses win their first major trophy.

'The world's highest-paid goalkeeper'- analysis

Emma Sanders, BBC Sport

This is a major move for Earps and it is understood she becomes the world's highest-paid goalkeeper, a reflection of her individual achievements in recent seasons.

Now a household name in England, Earps has held the Lionesses' number one shirt since 2021 and that has led to a growing desire to achieve more success at club level.

She did get her hands on the Women's FA Cup trophy last season but having missed out on Champions League qualification after dropping to fifth in the WSL, it always looked like United would struggle to keep hold of her.

It's a transfer saga that stretched for several months with Arsenal and PSG among the most eager clubs to sign her – but ultimately it was Earps' decision.

Footballing reasons such as regularly playing Champions League football and competing for silverware were key to her decision but United's direction under Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Group also no doubt played a role.

Paris St-Germain's rivals Lyon are still expected to dominate in France, but Earps' arrival will give them a boost and she thrived in her last experience abroad when she was at Wolfsburg, prior to joining United.