Manchester United Women have moved to tie down their most exciting young talent, with 17-year-old Layla Drury set to sign her first professional contract at the club — making her the youngest player in the WSL side's history to put pen to paper on a pro deal.

A record-breaker from the start

Drury has been shattering records since the moment she pulled on a United shirt. She made her senior debut in January in an FA Cup tie against Burnley at the age of 16 years and 220 days, breaking the record previously held by Lauren James, who set the mark back in 2018. If that was not enough, Drury also found the net in the same fixture — a 5-0 victory — becoming United Women's youngest ever goalscorer on the same afternoon she became their youngest ever player.

The Wales-born forward goes on to become the first player to sign a professional deal with the club before her 18th birthday. She is understood to have made seven appearances across all competitions during last season, five of those coming off the bench in the WSL.

Full integration into the first team

The noises out of Carrington are clear: United's plan is for Drury to train and play with the first team on a full-time basis next season rather than continuing to bridge the gap between the academy and the senior setup. That signals a significant leap in expectations for a player who has only just turned 17.

Her progression is being seen internally as a marker of what the club's academy structure can produce. United are understood to be firmly committed to developing home-grown talent as part of a longer-term strategy to help the women's team operate sustainably, rather than relying solely on the transfer market to build the squad.

Switching allegiance to England

Born in Wales and having represented both Wales and England at youth level, Drury formally switched her international allegiance to England in February of this year. That decision brings her into the Lionesses' pipeline and could yet have significant implications further down the line, given the level of competition for places at youth level within the England Women's setup.

Elsewhere in the WSL

Away from Old Trafford, London City Lionesses have strengthened their squad with the addition of Germany forward Nicole Anyomi on a four-year deal, following the expiry of her contract at Eintracht Frankfurt. Anyomi scored 60 goals in 130 appearances for the German club and was part of the Germany squad that reached the final of Euro 2022 against England at Wembley. Her arrival adds genuine international pedigree to a London City Lionesses project that continues to push for top-flight credibility.

For United, though, the Drury deal is the headline act. At 17, with records already behind her and first-team football ahead, she arrives at the start of her professional career with momentum firmly on her side.

Frequently asked

How old is Layla Drury and what records has she broken at Manchester United?
Layla Drury is 17 years old. She became Manchester United Women's youngest ever player when she debuted in January against Burnley at 16 years and 220 days — breaking a record previously held by Lauren James — and also became the club's youngest ever goalscorer in the same match.
Is Layla Drury eligible to play for England or Wales?
Drury was born in Wales and has represented both nations at youth level, but she switched her international allegiance to England in February 2026, making her eligible for the Lionesses going forward.
What is Layla Drury's role at Manchester United Women next season?
The plan is for Drury to be fully integrated into Manchester United Women's first team on a permanent basis next season, rather than continuing to combine academy and senior football as she did last year.