Celin Bizet: Latest Man Utd signing adds to optimism after rocky start to summer

Manchester United have confirmed the arrival of Norway international Celin Bizet, in a move that sees her leave fellow WSL side Tottenham Hotspur in a permanent transfer. 

The 22-year-old underwent a medical with the club on Sunday, point to a likely transfer, before she was then spotted flying out to Marbella with the rest of the team for a training camp. 

With an official announcement from the club now made, Bizet has penned a three-year contract with the Red Devils until the end of the 2026/27 season. She made her WSL debut for Tottenham in 2022, where she managed eight goals and assists across 36 league appearances.

At such a young age, Bizet already has so much experience under her belt, something United will have taken note of when deciding to make their approach. She made her seniot debut for Norway in 2021 after representing her country at various junior age groups from Under-16 level up.

Her move marks a sixth signing of the summer transfer window, as Marc Skinner gets ready to improve upon a disappointing 2023/24 campaign that saw the club end up fifth in the WSL.

United midfielder Grace Clinton, who played with Bizet while on loan at Spurs to great effect last season, has made a return this summer. They had a close bond on and off the pitch and it is a partnership that will no doubt work in their favour moving forward.

Elsewhere, United have welcomed Dominique Janssen, Elisabeth Terland, Anna Sandberg and Simi Awujo, with Melvine Malard's loan from Lyon made permanent as well.

ANALYSIS

Against a backdrop of ongoing disgruntlement from some fans towards Skinner, the club have managed to pull of one of the most impressive transfer windows across the WSL.

Skinner was adamant throughout last season that United needed recruitment to continue competing with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City. It is clear that, despite clumsy comments from new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe about where the women's setup lies as a priority, they are trying to create a new look squad that will help them build upon the areas they fell short in 2023/24.

The optics of losing preferential access to their brand new training building and using temporary cabins while men's team facilities are upgraded are also poor. But new sporting director Dan Ashworth and new chief executive Omar Berrada both have a proven tack record in women's football and, if you were to assess the squad itself, we could be on the verge of a new chapter.

The raft of new players should complement one another on the pitch. Janssen's experience will help nurture the talent of new, younger recruits such as Terland, Sandberg, Awujo and now Bizet.

Although it's not been all smiles, having to say goodbye to high-profile players like Mary Earps and Katie Zelem, not all is lost. United have shown they are still moving in the right direction and this reinforces confidence that they've pinpointed the areas they need to improve upon, and made specific signings to support this. It's still a work in progress but the addition of Bizet is another important piece of the puzzle that is quickly filling up.

United's 2024/25 campaign starts on 21 September when they take on West Ham and there's a very strong chance that we could witness their rebirth at Old Trafford that day.

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