On Friday, Manchester City, the current Women’s Super League champions, announced the signing of England defender Niamh Charles from Chelsea. She has signed a three-year deal until June 2029.
Charles spent almost six years at Chelsea, after joining them in 2020. In that time, she won five Women’s Super League titles, four FA Cups, and three League Cups.
She made a total of 178 appearances at Chelsea and scored 13 goals. Niamh leaves the club as a highly popular and loved member of the squad.
In her youth career, Charles has represented England at under-17, under-19, and under-20 levels. During the 2016 U-17 European Championship qualifying, Charles was the third-leading scorer for England with six goals.
She tied for the Bronze Boot at the final tournament with four goals, scoring both goals in a 2–1 win against Norway in the third-place match. England’s third-place win qualified them for the 2016 U-17 World Cup, where Niamh played in all four matches as England were eliminated by Japan in the quarter-finals.
Niamh made her debut for the senior side on April 9, 2021, as a substitute for Alex Greenwood in a friendly against France.
Charles was named in England’s squad for the FIFA Women’s 2023 World Cup, where she played two games, featuring in the 6-1 win over China in the group stage and also featuring in the semi-final win over the hosts, Australia.
Niamh was also a part of the 2025 UEFA Euro. On 27 July, 202,5 she came on in the tournament’s final as a substitute to replace Lucy Bronze during extra time, and scored a penalty in the shootout as England beat Spain 1-1.
Charles becomes City’s second signing of the summer after Beth Mead.
“I’ve seen from the outside and obviously played against City over the past few years; they’ve had great success this year, and I think what they’re building as a team, the players and the staff, it’s something I wanted to be a part of,” Charles said.
