Manchester United confirm Caldwell departure | OneFootball

Manchester United have this afternoon confirmed that Republic of Ireland international centre-back Diane Caldwell is leaving the club after six months at the Leigh Sports Village.

Caldwell joined The Red Devils from National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club North Carolina Courage in January.

Caldwell made a total of six appearances for Marc Skinner’s side during the latter part of this season but now finds herself looking for a new club once again on the back of the expiration of her contract.

A die-hard Manchester United fan since childhood, Caldwell described it as a ‘dream’ to sign for the club, something which quickly endeared her in the hearts of the United faithful. The tough-tackling defender made her debut for the red half of Manchester on 5 February in the club’s 1-1 draw away at Arsenal and she certainly put her mark on the game with her no-nonsense approach.

With the likes of Aoife Mannion and Millie Turner still recovering from injuries and now the departure of Caldwell, the centre of the Manchester United defence is looking like a particularly vulnerable area for Skinner’s side at present. Consequently, one would expect that area to be a main focus point of recruitment in the summer transfer window if the club are to once again challenge for the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification spots. Caldwell’s departure could also open the door for young players such as Tara Bourne to step up.