ENGLAND midfielder Grace Clinton is embracing advice from Manchester United boss Marc Skinner to help her stay grounded after a breakout loan spell last year.
The 21-year-old has returned to her parent club after shining during her time at Tottenham, where she scored four times and added as many assists over 20 appearances.
The Liverpudlian, named young player of the year at the 2024 PFA awards, links up with the Lionesses again this week looking to make her mark ahead of next summer’s Euros.
Asked about the pressure of being being looked at as the next “big thing” for United, Clinton replied: “You do think about that coming back off loan and I think Marc has been really good to me in that sense.
“He’s always reminded me. ‘You’ve got nothing to prove. Last year we saw what you could do so we want to bring you back in.’
“So I think it’s just not thinking about all that stuff too much, just thinking about stuff on the pitch and wanting to enjoy it, play with the girls and just play like you did when you’re a kid, because really that’s when you play your best football.”
The Lionesses take on Germany at Wembley on Friday night in a repeat of the Euro 2022 final before taking on South Africa in Coventry four days later.
Clinton, who was in attendance when the Lionesses won the Euros, received her first call-up to Sarina Wiegman’s squad in October 2023.
She now hopes to seize on opportunities like these upcoming friendlies to impress the England boss and secure a place on the plane when they defend their title in Switzerland next summer.
Clinton added: “When you’re sat there watching on the side and seeing these unbelievable players, you feel a million miles off at the time.
“I definitely didn’t think I’d be the next year in and around the group. To think about how far I’ve come is a really nice feeling.
“Every time you step on the pitch, especially as an attacking player, you want to impact the game positively, get goals and assists, so it’s really nice that I’m getting there at the moment.
“Whoever I play for, I want to do that.”
