**Manchester City midfielder Sam Coffey has praised the club’s ‘amazing’ summer signings as the title holders prepare for their title defence.**
U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Sam Coffey had a successful opening season in England’s north, after a midseason move to Manchester City from NWSL side Portland Thorns saw her lift the Women’s Super League (WSL) trophy by season’s end.
The 27-year-old now gears up for her first full season in sky blue, speaking to _The Halfway Line_ ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
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Sam Coffey hails ‘amazing’ summer signings
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Coffey, who is no longer the newcomer in Manchester, believes new arrivals Niamh Charles and Beth Mead will add even more quality to an already talented squad.
“I feel like they’ve been here for a year already,” Coffey said. “They are strengthening an already amazing team. As people they’re so class, so fun to be around and bring such great energy to the team. I haven’t been fully in training yet, so I don’t feel like I’ve seen a lot. But I know they’re going to be amazing additions to our squad. With the Champions League, we’re going to need all the talent we can get.”
Both England internationals signed three-year contracts with the Cityzens this summer, with Charles arriving from Chelsea while Mead joined after her departure from Arsenal.
Sam Coffey ‘on track’ with recovery from knee surgery
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Coffey only joined Manchester City in January, signing from the Portland Thorns after making 90 appearances for the NWSL side.
The defensive midfielder featured 10 times last term as City secured the WSL title for the first time since the 2016 season. However, the central playmaker missed the final league game of the season and the FA Cup final after undergoing knee surgery, with her rehabilitation continuing throughout the summer.
“I’m in the best hands at Manchester City, and in the most amazing facilities, so I feel very grateful,” Coffey said.
“I’m back on the pitch, I’m running, I’m starting to join bits of team training, so it’s just about continuing to build up to full fitness. I’m definitely on track and the hope, as of now, is just to be able to start as soon as the season starts.”
Andrée Jeglertz is a ‘special manager’ says Coffey
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Manchester City will need Coffey back to full fitness if they are to challenge in both the Women’s Super League and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, having missed out on playing in Europe’s premier club competition last season. The midfielder believes head coach Andrée Jeglertz has put the club in the best possible position to compete on both fronts.
“He is a special manager,” she said. “I think he is so clear in his principles and how he wants to play, and I think as a player that is really refreshing because it’s easy for tactics to get confusing. Being able to play for someone who values the principles but also really encourages freedom within the structure is such a fun way to play. At the top of women’s football, it’s not just about results, it’s how do we get those results in a way that we’re proud of? And I think that is what sets him apart.”
Coffey will be racing the clock to prove her fitness ahead of City’s season opener against Birmingham City at the Joie Stadium on September 6, with kick-off scheduled for 2:30pm BST.