Grace Clinton is England’s next ‘superstar’ but faces tough Tottenham vs Manchester United decision
As England begin their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign, there is one name which fans will hope to see on Sarina Wiegman's team sheet.
Grace Clinton has been one the success stories of the WSL this season, enjoying a fine loan spell at Tottenham away from parent club Manchester United.
The versatile midfielder has been a key player for Spurs, registering four goals and three assists in 16 league appearances this campaign, earning her high praise from manager Robert Vilahamn.
Speaking after the 21-year-old delivered an impressive display in a narrow 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in early October, Vilahamn said: “She’s only 20-years old and she was so dominant in this game."
He continued: “She will be the next superstar in this country if you ask me. I think she’s brilliant and has the potential to be so good.”
And the Spurs boss is not Clinton's only admirer, her performances have also caught the eye of Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman, who named her in the England squad for the first time in October 2023.
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While Clinton had to wait until the most recent international break to step onto the pitch for her country, she wasted no time in announcing herself on the international stage.
The 21-year-old scored 19 minutes into her debut, heading home a Lauren Hemp cross as the Lionesses cruised to a 7-2 win over Austria, impressing both Wiegman and her teammates in the process.
Speaking after the match, the Euro-winning manager said of the young star: “She plays like a natural. She wants to have the ball. She picks up the things we talk about very quickly and that's what you see on the pitch too."
Wiegman was also quick to praise Clinton's versatility, having deployed the Liverpool-born player as a number eight, despite having mainly played in a left-wing role for her club this year.
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The 54-year-old manager continued: "It was a new role for her so we did some tactics and some individual things and you can tell she takes things on board. She just goes out there and plays."
Man United teammate Ella Toone also had some encouraging words after featuring alongside the highly-rated player during the game, as she admitted: "I absolutely loved it [playing with Clinton].
“She’s a great player with a lot of talent and is very good on the ball. To link up with her – we’ve never done that before, we’ve never played together – it felt so natural.
"I knew where she was and she knew where I was, so I’m delighted for her that she made her debut and got her goal.”
And Toone's comments are a reminder of the difficult decision looming over Clinton' s head at the end of the season.
Since signing for Manchester United in 2022 from girlhood club Everton on an initial three-year-deal, the former Toffees star is yet to make a competitive appearance for the Red Devils.
Clinton was sent out on loan to then-Championship side Bristol City for the 2022/23 season, where her six goals in 12 appearances helped gain the club promotion back to the WSL.
Now, as she approaches the end of a second hugely successful loan spell in North London, there is a genuine case for the talented youngster to see her long-term future with her current club Tottenham.
While her creativity often earns her plaudits, she has also boasted impressive defensive statistics while at Spurs, recording the fourth-highest number of tackles won per 90 minutes in the league.
With former Everton manager Willie Kirk that a younger Clinton could be 'a little bit lazy out of possession', it is clear that her time in N17 has seen her develop as a player in all aspects.
Meanwhile, away the pitch, the Liverpudlian has clearly made herself at home in the capital, striking up a friendship with teammate and right-wing counterpart Celin Bizet.
The friendship has proven popular among Spurs fans, and after a few light-hearted interviews with them on social media went viral, the pair have now launched a page, which has gained over 12,000 followers in just over a month.
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With all of these factors in mind, there could be a real possibility that Clinton could look to continue her meteoric rise to the top at Tottenham, who currently trail her parent club by two league places.
In the meantime however, the midfielder will be focusing on her time away with England, having been named in Wiegman's squad for their upcoming Euro 2025 qualifiers against Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.