Manchester City's Alex Greenwood has penned a three-year contract extension, fixing her future ahead of next year's World Cup.
The 29-year-old, who signed for City in 2020, has agreed to extend her stay at the club until June 2026.
Greenwood, a member of England's Euro-winning squad under Sarina Wiegman earlier this year, has made 80 appearances for City.
"Feeling settled at a club for me is so important," she told the club's official website. "I just love being here."
"I have a really good relationship with Gareth, and the way he wants us to play marries up exactly with how I want to. It's the perfect match for me."
"We just want to keep winning football matches and trophies, which is what we expect of ourselves here. It's an exciting time to be at City."
Greenwood's secure future will prove one less distraction for her and hands a boost to the Lionesses, who will hope to replicate European success on the world stage in 2023.
Having lost the 2019 World Cup final with the Netherlands, boss Wiegman is looking to go one better next year, though she knows the greatest performance of a lifetime can still fall short.
"If you play your best game, like the England men did against France, [it could] be a win, could be a tie, could be a defeat," she told The Guardian.
"But you can be proud of yourself because you played at your highest level. You're going to be devastated by not winning, but at the end you can be proud because you did everything that's in your control.
"That's how I approach it. Don't always think of the result. We're not going to a World Cup just to play, we're going there to win."
The World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
David Moyes hands over medal to his father after West Ham end wait for trophy
David Moyes handed his Europa Conference League winners’ medal to his father after ending West Ham’s 43-year wait for a trophy.
Jarrod Bowen’s dramatic last-minute goal sank Fiorentina 2-1 as the Hammers secured a first piece of silverware since 1980’s FA Cup, and a first European trophy since 1965, on a historic and emotional night in Prague.
Moyes’ dad, 87-year-old David Snr, has been on every step of West Ham’s European tour and joined his son on the pitch after the final whistle.
“He was the first one, I thought I should get it round his neck,” said the jubilant West Ham boss. “He’s watched a lot over the years and I hope he enjoyed it.”
West Ham led through a Said Benrahma penalty on the hour but were immediately pegged back by Giacomo Bonaventura’s strike.
But when Bowen chased Lucas Paqueta’s ball over the top, Moyes almost found himself going full Jose Mourinho.
“The moment he went through I was edging down the touchline,” he added. “If it was going to be anyone, I thought ‘this is the moment’.
“But I couldn’t do a full Mourinho knee slide as the grass was a bit dry and I’d have ended up on my belly.”
Moyes has written his name in West Ham folklore, joining Ron Greenwood and John Lyall as trophy-winning Hammers managers.
A place in next season’s Europa League means the club has qualified for Europe three campaigns in a row, for the first time.
“I actually think the last two years have been an incredible journey,” he said.
“It’s an incredible achievement to do so well in Europe, you look at some of the very good teams who find it a struggle. It’s great credit, we’ve turned a disappointing season into a super season.”
Bowen has come a long way from beginning his career at non-league Hereford, and he is planning to party.
“I’m so buzzing, all of us are just going to go mad I think,” he said. “You have to celebrate.
“When the final whistle went I just thought ‘this party is going to be crazy’.
“I’m just a little boy from Leominster who never thought I’d be talking like this. My family are crying and it just shows me how far I’ve come.”
It was a memorable way to sign off for Declan Rice, destined to leave this summer but with the legacy of becoming only the third captain, along with Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, to lift silverware in the club’s 128-year history.
The England midfielder has a year left on his contract, and West Ham hold the option of another, but Arsenal are poised to firm up their interest in the coming days.
The only downside to West Ham’s big night was an object thrown from their end which left Cristiano Biraghi with a nasty cut on the back of his head, forcing referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande to briefly halt play while a message over the PA system implored the fans to stop throwing missiles.
The club “unreservedly condemned” the incident while a UEFA inquest will follow with charges likely.
It was a double cup disappointment for Fiorentina, who were only narrowly beaten 2-1 by Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia last month.
“We lost two finals playing really well, and it’s a shame,” said coach Vincenzo Italiano. “Tonight, I honestly didn’t imagine it could finish like this.”
West Ham promise to take action against fans who threw objects onto Prague pitch
West Ham have condemned the behaviour of a section of their support after Fiorentina defender Cristiano Biraghi was left bleeding by an object thrown from the crowd during their Europa Conference League final victory in Prague.
The game was goalless in the 35th minute when Biraghi went over to take a corner from in front of the end of the Eden Arena where West Ham supporters were sitting, with the player struck by what appeared to be a vape pen as cups and other objects rained down on him.
He required a head strapping in order to continue, after referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande had briefly called a halt to the game and a stadium announcement had issued a warning for fans to stop throwing things and respect the players and officials before the match could continue.
West Ham issued a statement promising to take action against anyone found to have committed an offence and ban them from attending matches at the London Stadium.
“West Ham United unreservedly condemn the behaviour of a small number of individuals who threw objects onto the pitch during tonight’s UEFA Europa Conference League final,” said the statement.
“These actions have no place in football, and do not in any way represent the values of our football club and the overwhelming majority of our supporters, who have behaved impeccably in Prague this week and throughout our last two seasons in European competition.
“We will work with the police and other stakeholders to review the incidents and act against anyone found guilty of an offence.
“In line with our zero-tolerance approach, anyone identified will have their details passed to the police and will be given an indefinite ban and therefore be unable to enter London Stadium and travel with the club. There is no place for this kind of behaviour at West Ham United.”
West Ham won 2-1 thanks to a penalty from Said Benrahma and a goal in the 90th minute from Jarrod Bowen to land their first major trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 1980.
Let’s wait and see – Declan Rice unsure if he has played final game for West Ham
West Ham skipper Declan Rice does not know if he has played his last game for the club after the Europa Conference League victory over Fiorentina.
The England midfielder has been linked with a move away from the Hammers this summer.
And Rice may have signed off his West Ham career by becoming only the club’s third captain, along with Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, to lift silverware in their 128-year history after the 2-1 victory in Prague.
Rice told BT Sport: “It’s not a goodbye yet. Look at the moment there’s a lot of speculation about my future.
“There is interest from other clubs, that’s out there, but ultimately I’ve still got two years left at West Ham (one year plus option).
“There hasn’t been nothing yet (offers). Let’s wait and see, who knows.
“I love every minute of it here, you can see the smile on my face. It’s not about that tonight, it’s about celebrating and that’s what I’m going to do now.”
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