Sunderland Women have announced their retained list at the end of the 2025/26 campaign
Sunderland Women are set for a significant summer rebuild after it was confirmed that eight players would be leaving the club this summer.
Amongst those departing is defender Louise Griffiths, one of the club's longest-serving players who made 144 appearances over a nine-year stint on Wearside and was a key part of its rise back from the third tier of the game. Also leaving is midfielder Libbi McInnes, who won the club's young player of the year award in 2025.
Sunderland's two senior goalkeepers from last season, Demi Lambourne and Grace Moloney, will also leave this summer alongside forward Ellen Jones. Hannah Greenwood, Jamie Finn and Reanna Blades will also depart after one season at the club.
Though the club has announced new contracts for a number of key players in recent weeks, including forwards Katy Watson and Emily Scarr and midfielder Natasha Fenton, they face a wait to see if influential duo Jessica Brown and Eleanor Dale will agree new deals that have been offered in recent weeks. As it stands, the pair are out of contract this summer.
A number of young players will step up to the senior group this summer after signing their first professional contracts in recent weeks, but the club will still need to recruit a number of new signings this summer. The club are still waiting for the takeover by US group Bay Collective to be confirmed, which will pave the way for a significant summer of investment with a number of backroom roles staff to be recruited.
While the group are expected to focus on sustainable development rather than a radical overhaul of the squad, head coach Mel Reay said earlier this year that she believes it is an exciting development for the club.
"I think it's a really positive development," Reay said.
"It's a really exciting time for the women's team and the future of the women's team. But it hasn't officially been ratified by the league and until that does officially become official I can't really say anything more about it, to be honest. All I can say is I'm really excited, they've been in and around the building. We've had some really good conversations with key personnel.
"I think there's been a lot of hard work by people at the club and the background for this to be able to happen. We're really excited to see what the future holds."
Loanees Mared Griffiths and Caragh Hamilton have returned to their parent clubs Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, meaning that the club currently has ten senior players under contract for next season as things stand, with five youngsters on professional deals.
Sunderland finished eighth in the WSL 2 table last season, and will be looking to kick on under Bay Collective's ownership next season. The club will continue to operate from the Academy of Light after the takeover is approved, with Sunderland retaining a minority shareholding.
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