Manchester United Women’s Hannah Blundell has announced she is pregnant with her first child.
The defender will miss the foreseeable fixtures for Marc Skinner’s side which will include the start of the new WSL campaign.
As reported by BBC Sport, Blundell informed her teammates in a meeting on Tuesday before announcing it to the world via social media the next day.
United boss Skinner was made aware of the news earlier and has made the necessary additions to his squad during the transfer window as a result.
New recruits Anna Sandberg and Dominique Janssen will be tasked with filling the void left by Blundell and will need to hit the ground running in Red.
The club has extended the defender’s contract for another year in order for her to access maternity pay and medical support throughout her time away.
Blundell has made over 60 appearances for United since signing from Chelsea in 2021.
The 30-year-old has become a mainstay in Skinner’s side over the last three years and will be sorely missed in the upcoming campaign.
The 2024/25 Women’s Super League gets underway on the weekend of September 21st, with United traveling West Ham United for the lunchtime kickoff.
Skinner’s side will be expected to improve on the lowly fifth-place finish recorded last year with the FA Cup success saving a disappointing season, similar to Erik ten Hag’s men.
Having beaten Tottenham Hotspur in the Wembley final, Skinner and his team will be desperate to add further silverware to the trophy cabinet as United continue their march to the top of the women’s game.
Blundell will no doubt be keeping a close eye on her teammates’ performances in the early part of the campaign and everyone connected with the club will wish her all the best throughout her pregnancy.
Play for free to win the new United kit! We’re awarding a new prize every PL match week, courtesy of Goat Kits! To play, just (1) Join this week’s brand new PL Challenge league here with our league code puu1tk and enter your team. (2) Follow The Peoples Person on X and answer the tie-breaker question. Full instructions and rules here.
You can also visit Goat Kits at goatkitstore.com and use discount code TPP30 to get 30% off your first purchase!
