Man United teenager Layla Drury signs youngest-ever professional WSL contract
Layla Drury, a 17-year-old forward, has signed her first professional contract with Manchester United Women, making her the youngest player in Women’s Super League history to do so. She debuted in January 2026 at age 16 years 220 days in an FA Cup match against Burnley, scoring to become the club’s youngest goalscorer. Drury made seven senior appearances last season, including five in the WSL. Born in Wales, she switched international allegiance to England in February 2026. United plans to integrate her full-time with the first team next season.
Editorial summary awaiting refresh
Cross-source coverage
Wire timeline
Manchester United Sign 17-Year-Old Forward Layla Drury in Record-Breaking Professional Contract
Manchester United have officially announced that academy graduate Layla Drury has signed her first professional contract with the club, making her the youngest player in league history to do so. The 17-year-old forward, who made her senior debut in January 2026 at age 16, has committed to the club until June 2029 and will wear the No. 27 shirt. Drury debuted in an FA Cup match against Burnley, becoming the youngest player ever to represent Manchester United Women and the youngest goalscorer in club history. She made seven senior appearances across all competitions last season, including five in the Women's Super League. The club emphasized its commitment to developing homegrown talent, with Director of Women's Football Matt Johnson praising Drury's technical attributes and work ethic. Drury expressed her lifelong dream of signing with United and her gratitude for the academy support.
Yardbarker: SoccerManchester United Women's Teenager Layla Drury to Break Record with Professional Contract
Manchester United Women's forward Layla Drury, aged 17, is set to become the youngest player in the club's history to sign a professional contract, breaking the previous record. The Welsh-born England youth international made her senior debut in January 2026 at 16 years and 220 days old, scoring in a 5-0 FA Cup win over Burnley. She made seven appearances across all competitions last season, including five in the Women's Super League. The club plans to integrate her full-time with the first team next season. Drury's contract will also make her the first women's player at United to sign professionally before turning 18, reflecting the club's commitment to developing academy talent for both the men's and women's squads.
Yardbarker: SoccerRecord-breaker Layla Drury signs first professional deal with Manchester United
Layla Drury, a 17-year-old forward, is set to become the youngest player to sign a professional contract with Manchester United Women. She made her senior debut in January 2026 at age 16 years and 220 days in an FA Cup tie against Burnley, scoring in the 5-0 victory and becoming the club's youngest goalscorer. Drury made seven appearances last season, including five in the WSL. Born in Wales, she switched her international allegiance to England in February 2026. United plans to integrate her into the first team full-time next season. Her signing is seen as a success for United's academy and their sustainability strategy. The article also briefly notes London City Lionesses' signing of German forward Nicole Anyomi.
Football | The GuardianRecord-breaker Layla Drury signs first professional deal with Manchester United
Manchester United Women's youngest ever player, 17-year-old Layla Drury, is set to become the youngest player to sign a professional contract with a Women's Super League club. The forward made her senior debut in January 2026 in an FA Cup tie against Burnley, scoring in a 5–0 victory and becoming Manchester United Women's youngest goalscorer. She made seven appearances total last season, including five in the WSL. Drury previously played youth international football for Wales and England, switching allegiance to England in February 2026. The club plans to integrate her full-time with the first team next season. Her record debut at age 16 years and 220 days broke Lauren James's 2018 record. The article also notes London City Lionesses' signing of Germany forward Nicole Anyomi on a four-year contract.
Football | The GuardianRecord-breaker Layla Drury signs first professional deal with Manchester United
Layla Drury, Manchester United Women's youngest ever player at age 17, is set to become the youngest player to sign a professional contract with the Women's Super League (WSL) club. Drury made her senior debut in January in an FA Cup match against Burnley, scoring in that 5-0 victory to become the club's youngest goalscorer. The forward made seven senior appearances last season, including five in the WSL. Born in Wales, she switched her national team allegiance from Wales to England in February 2024. This deal marks the first time United will sign a player prior to their 18th birthday, breaking a record previously held by Lauren James. Drury's progress is viewed as a success for United's academy's sustainability goals. The article also notes that London City Lionesses signed Germany forward Nicole Anyomi from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Football | The Guardian