Manchester City have signed defender, Kerstin Casparij from FC Twente on a three-year contract.
Casparij began her senior career aged 15 with Heerenveen where she enjoyed two spells either stint of a stint at VV Alkmaar in 2017-18 season, with the versatile defender – who also plays in midfield – scoring seven goals in total at Heerenveen and once at VV Alkmaar.
The 21 year-old Dutch international then joined FC Twente in 2020, where she scored four goals in 42 appearances within Netherlands’ Eredivisie across the last two seasons.
Speaking about her decision to join City on a three-year contract until June 2025, Casparij said: “I’m overjoyed – I have no words to describe how happy I am to be a Manchester City player and I can’t wait to play for this beautiful Club.
“I felt like the whole club is a family and the perfect fit for me – I immediately got such a good feeling about the place and it was a no brainer for me.”
Casparij also noted the importance of squad unity in order to fight for titles which she believes that City has, as she continued: “Having players feeling at home at a club is a huge strength for a team and if you want to be competing and winning titles, you have to have that unity, so that was very important to me.
“I’m a modern right wing-back and I feel as though I’ll fit into the Manchester City style very well, which makes this move the perfect one.”
Man City Women’s Head Coach, Gareth Taylor meanwhile hailed Casparij as “a very gifted young player” as evidenced by her senior debut at 15 years-old, underlining her “talent” and respect shown to her by her previous clubs.
On what Casparij will add to the squad, throughout her time at the Citizens, Taylor added: “She has a real infectious and positive personality too and we’re very much looking forward to integrating her into the rest of the squad and seeing her develop on the pitch.”
Casparij will wear the No.2 shirt and could make her competitive debut for Man City in the First Qualifying Round of 2022-23 UEFA Women’s Champions League, where the Citizens will face Kazakhstan’s Tomiris-Turan in their Qualifying First Round semi-final.
Casparij has also made 13 appearances for Netherlands’ senior team who were knocked out of 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro by France, which in turn ended their title defence.
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