Manchester United Women are saying goodbye to another familiar face. Hannah Blundell, the veteran fullback who joined the club in 2021 after a trophy-heavy run at Chelsea, is officially out the door. The club confirmed on its website that her contract expired and she won’t be sticking around.
This isn’t a total shock. Blundell spent the second half of last season on loan at Everton, playing in 12 matches while United tried to figure out their defensive rotation. But it still marks a real shift. Over the last five years, she’d become something of a steady presence at Old Trafford. She played 95 times for the club overall, scored three goals, and lifted the FA Cup in 2024. She also took home the 2022/23 United Women Players’ Player of the Year award. That’s not nothing.
Her departure comes at a time when United Women are in the middle of what looks like a serious roster overhaul. The team finished last season without a trophy and missed out on Champions League qualification. That’s a tough spot for a club that expects to contend. Already, there’s a reported deal in place for Spanish fullback Andrea Medina from Atletico Madrid. And according to multiple reports, players like Ella Toone, Melvine Malard, and Elisabeth Terland could all be on their way out this summer. That’s a lot of turnover for manager Marc Skinner to manage in one window.
Leah Galton already played her final match for United last season and left as a free agent. So United’s statement thanking both Blundell and Galton for their contributions felt like a clean break for two players who’d been around for a while. The club said, “Everyone at Manchester United would like to thank Hannah and Leah for their contributions. We wish you both the very best of luck for the future.”
For Blundell personally, the next move is unclear. She’s 31 now, which is still prime age for a fullback who reads the game well and can still cover ground. Her time at Chelsea before United was decorated. Four WSL titles over eight years speaks for itself. She knows how to win. That experience could be valuable for a team looking to add depth or leadership. Whether that’s somewhere in the WSL or maybe abroad is anyone’s guess right now.
But from United’s perspective, this feels like a clear signal that Skinner and the front office are trying to reshape the squad in a big way. Bringing in a younger option at fullback like Medina, moving on from a veteran who’d been on loan, and potentially losing several other core players suggests they’re not just tinkering around the edges. They’re rebuilding the thing, or at least trying to.
The question now is whether the incomings will match the outgoings. Fans are waiting to see who comes through the door next. If United can lock down a couple of smart signings before the window closes, this could end up looking like a necessary reset. If they can’t, the squad could be thinner than it already was. Either way, the Blundell chapter is closed. Time to see what comes next.
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