West Ham United midfielder Flannery joins Sunderland on loan

West Ham United midfielder Keira Flannery has joined Barclays Women’s Championship club Sunderland on a season-long loan.

The Lady Black Cats announced news of the deal via a post on their official club website this afternoon.

Flannery started out in the Arsenal academy system before making the switch to West Ham United at the age of 16. The teenager has continued her development in East London and she has gone on to make 10 appearances in a West Ham United shirt. The 18-year-old was loaned to former Barclays Women’s Championship club Reading for a period last season. She made 10 appearances for The Royals in which she scored one goal.

West Ham United manager Rehanne Skinner is keen for Flannery to continue to get regular minutes and she will therefore spend the 2024/2025 campaign on Wearside with Sunderland.

After completing her loan move to Sunderland, Flannery said “I’m really happy, can’t wait to get started and I’m ready to hit the ground running. I really liked what Sunderland were pushing to do, the philosophy and how we wanted to play.“

Flannery is Sunderland’s third signing of the summer transfer window. The Wearsiders have also added goalkeeper Demi Lambourne and midfielder Eleanor Dale to their squad during the close season.