Jackie Groenen signs for Manchester United Women
Wednesday 22 May 2019 19:42, UK
Manchester United Women will make Dutch international Jackie Groenen the team's first overseas signing.
Groenen, 24, has signed a pre-contract agreement with the club from FFC Frankfurt for the 2019/20 season, ahead of United's first campaign in the Women's Super League and only their second in existence.
It follows a successful first season in which every single member of Casey Stoney's Championship-winning squad was British.
The club released Charlie Devlin, Naomi Hartley, Lucy Roberts and Ebony Salmon a week ago, and former England centurion Stoney responded by bringing the Dutch midfielder to Leigh Sports Village.
Groenen has made 46 appearances for the Netherlands, scoring two goals, since her senior debut in January 2016.
She was named in the Team of the Tournament as the Netherlands won the 2017 UEFA Women's Championship in their home nation.
Groenen started her club career in Germany and in 2014 spent one year with Chelsea in the top-flight before moving back to Germany's Frauen-Bundesliga.
She shared a picture of herself in a Manchester United shirt as a child and will pull on the red shirt for real ahead of the new Women's Super League season in September.
