SAFC Women are delighted to announce the signing of Scotland international Brianna Westrup.
The American-born centre-back has arrived on Wearside from Rangers, having spent two years in Glasgow after a spell in the North East with Newcastle United.
Westrup is a senior Scottish international, having claimed two caps for the Tartan Army, and was part of last season’s Rangers team to go undefeated in the league, dropping just four points all year.
The 25-year-old goes straight into Mel Reay’s squad as the Lasses contest their final pre-season friendly on Sunday against Nottingham Forest at Eppleton, before the Barclays Women’s Championship gets underway at Durham on Sunday 21 August.
Having completed the move to Wearside, Westrup said: "I’m absolutely delighted to sign here and I’m really excited to be back in the North East.
“I left in 2020 to join Rangers, and we had a really successful season last year as we won the league for the first time. I feel that it’s the right time now to find a new challenge.
“I’m looking forward to bringing more experience to the squad – it’s always great to see the potential develop of younger players, too, and I’m excited to work with them. I’ve heard great things about Mel and Steph for a number of years – they’re a great partnership, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the project here.”
Echoing Westrup’s positive words was SAFC Women General Manager Alex Clark: “Brianna fits the profile of the other four players we have brought in the summer – great experience, a good leader, and an international who has played at a high level.
“We were looking to recruit in the centre of defence, an area we felt we were a little light in following Abby Towers’ knee injury. Last season we operated with an average squad age of 21 – the average squad age in the Championship is 24 – so it was vital we brought in the experience that we have done.
“But for us, it was important to bring in good people as well as good players. We’re expecting Brianna to be our final arrival of the summer, and we know she is able to contribute positively to the group as a whole.”
Westrup will wear the number 27 shirt for the Lasses during the 2022-23 season. The deal is subject to all regulatory processes.