JUST IN : Sunderland starlet signs long_term new contract deal with the club

Grace Ede, one of our very own, has signed a new contract with Sunderland AFC on the day of her 18th birthday.

Ede will complete her schooling next summer and then transition into a full-time professional contract under the terms of the contract.

Given that she was on a dual registration with Women’s Super League heavyweights Manchester City, it is a tremendous statement of purpose from the club to secure the kid at Sunderland and offer her a professional contract.

Grace Ede has signed a new contract with the Club, which we are very excited about!

Ede’s meteoric growth over the last two seasons has been wonderful to behold. She was a member of the Sunderland Regional Talent Centre before being called up to the women’s senior team by Melanie Reay. Despite being only 16 at the time, Ede has grown by leaps and bounds since first playing competitive football, appearing 32 times for Sunderland, including five consecutive starts this season.

Not only has Ede already shown incredible finesse, technique, and enthusiasm on the international stage, but she also displayed her leadership abilities when she was chosen to captain England U-19s against the Republic of Ireland U-19s earlier this year.

Whilst she may be a young and raw talent, Grace Ede has already shown glimpses of brilliance, intelligence and confidence, illustrating a great trajectory of improvement and refinery in her skills and ability
Cutting in from the left in quest of opportunities to create chances for teammates, she is at ease anywhere on the front line. What makes Ede stand out the most is the unwavering focus with which she pursues goal and the ease with which she rips through defences with the ball.

She reminds me of a young Andrej Kramaric or Papu Gomez: an agile, tenacious, and immensely gifted wide player who can be disruptive. The significant benefits and ongoing thrill that come with this form of play more than make up for the fact that it may not always pay off.

Ede exudes confidence in her own abilities as she performs a variety of techniques from her repertoire, a view that Mel Reay clearly shares by tying her down to a professional contract.

Ede will only improve and perfect her creativity and technical ability if she plays senior football against older and more experienced players. She doesn’t look out of place, and her teammates clearly have a lot of faith, pride, and confidence in her. She can only benefit from having such strong support from the players and technical staff.

Ede’s future seems bright, and it’s a pleasure to watch her develop inside our squad.