Both Samantha Mewis and Rose Lavelle could end the weekend as Women’s Super League Champions, but their futures at Manchester City hang in the balance with plenty still to be discussed.
Man City Women’s manager Gareth Taylor has seen both players play key roles for the club this season ahead of this weekend’s season finale in the WSL. Mewis and Lavelle signed one-year deals with the Lady Citizens, which come with options for an additional season in 2021-22, but nothing has yet been confirmed for either player going forward.
“Of course, these guys are going to be, hopefully, really busy in the summer with the Olympics, but at some point, we need to sit and obviously have conversations with many players around next season,” Taylor said in a club interview Friday.
“At the moment, [Lavelle and Mewis are] similar [to Jill Scott], we need to have further discussions with them. When you’re working on short contracts, you have to understand that you’re going to have more of these conversations and then it’s obviously picking the right moment to do so.”
Mewis, 28, has delivered 12 goals and two assists in 25 combined appearances for Man City this season, seeing ample time in the heart of the club’s midfield. The 25-year-old Lavelle has struggled for consistency, scoring only three times in 21 combined outings, although has shined in more recent performances down the final stretch of the season.
Both players are still owned by NWSL clubs and could be back there this summer if an agreement on their Man City futures aren’t confirmed in the coming weeks. Man City will win the WSL title on Sunday if they defeat West Ham United and Chelsea slips up to tie or lose at home vs. Reading.
The club also remains in the FA Cup fifth round, which also sees them face West Ham on May 16th. Both Mewis and Lavelle have been joined by international teammate Abby Dahlkemper in Manchester this season and could remain there long-term after impressing in their first seasons in Europe.
“There’s going to be quite a bit of discussion had once the games are out of the way,” Taylor said. “When I say games, I don’t just mean Sunday’s game. I think we need to make sure that we look after the return leg, if you like, against West Ham in the FA Cup on May 16.”
“There’s going to be a lot of speculation about various players between now and the end of the season, like there already has been. We would rather just be able to speak to the players at the right moment and make sure that everything’s covered and we make sure we know where people are next season. But, like I say, there’s going to be a lot of conversations around that.”
Rose may be nursing an injury, so her playing time is being limited. However, what with the Olympics coming up, I would just as soon have her limit her playing time to the USWNT. She has the ability to finesse her way through the defenses, whereas none of the rest of the team is quite that adept at those maneuvers. So I would like her to be injury-free when the O/Gs begin. With an 18-player Roster, you simply can’t afford to have wounded warriors
sitting on the bench.
Lavelle is a lock starter on a World Cup winning team and consistent difference maker at the international level, but Man City has only brought her on as a late game sub when results are already in hand. They clearly don’t value her, so why would they bring her back. And why would she want to come back to that situation? They’re just not that into you, move on. If she wants to stay in Europe, there has to be better situations where she can be a key player not someone to kill out garbage time so their stars don’t get injured or overly fatigued.
Which is absolutely baffling.
Lavelle is one of the best women soccer players in the world, and they don’t rate her. Crazy. I do not get it. At all.
What IS that? Or are they just afraid of becoming dependent on her because she’s such a wild card?