Last season's loanee Katie Startup joins Man City on permanent deal

Manchester City have added another name to their summer signings list and their latest recruit is Katie Startup, who already spent six weeks at the club at the end of last season.

The last six of the 23/24 season saw Katie Startup join Manchester City on a loan deal from Brighton and Hove Albion, with Man City struggling with a goalkeeper shortage as both Sandy Maciver and Ellie Roebuck were subjects of injuries preventing them from their duties. Startup arrived as a backup for regular keeper Khiara Keating.

Clearly making a lasting impression, Man City have decided to permanently make Katie a Cityzen for the next two years, as her new contract attaches her to her Sky Blues until 2026.

Katie Startup becomes the fifth goalkeeper within the Man City squad, along with Khiara Keating, Sandy Maciver, Ayaka Yamashita and Eve Annets.

While Keating was Gareth Taylor's chosen starting keeper throughout the course of the former season, there is nothing to keeping any of the other four names from proving themselves and then taking the number one spot.

Katie Startup on her Man City transfer

"It feels great, I'm really excited to be back. A bit longer this time, hopefully, and I'm excited to see what's next."

"I just knew that when the opportunity did arise, I really enjoyed my time here and I felt really welcome, valued and I settled into the team well. I just want to learn off everyone, it's such a high standard of a group, I'll probably be facing some difficult shots I suspect. You're not light on star-quality strikers, so I'm excited to test myself with the group."

"I think I learned a lot on the pitch over those six weeks. I took a lot of learning from those. (I received) a lot of really helpful feedback during that loan and I expect the same really."

"For me, personally, I set my goals by my own personal growth on pitch and of pitch. I'm always trying to improve day to day, week to week but I think it's a bit idealistic to say you're going to improve every single day, but every day I can learn something."

"If I can do that and come away from every feeling like I've learned something, then I'll be happy come the end of the season."

Katie will be wearing the number 40 shirt when the season arrives, which isn't too long away now with Man City's first fixture of the Women's Super League coming in two weeks' time.