West Ham United Women have announced extended contracts for five of their players leading into the 2020-21 season.
Captain Gilly Flaherty, forward Alisha Lehmann, Korean midfielder Cho So-hyun and Canadian attacker Adriana Leon have signed new two-year deals with West Ham United, keeping them with Matt Beard’s side until 2022.
All five were key players as the Hammers finished eighth in the Women’s Super League winning five of their 15 games, drawing one and losing eight.
French international midfielder Kenza Dali has penned a new one year deal in east London until 2021.
Head coach Matt Beard told whufc.com: “I am thrilled to secure the futures of Gilly, Cho, Alisha, Adriana and Kenza at West Ham United.
“The five players who have committed their futures to the Irons have proven themselves to be key individuals in our team, both on and off the pitch, and help to form the spine of a side that I am confident can challenge for honours in the new season and beyond.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Gilly, Cho, Alisha, Dri and Kenza during their respective careers with West Ham so far and I am looking forward to continuing our good work together through pre-season and into the new campaign.”
Flaherty moved to the Hammers in the club’s first summer as a professional women’s team, joining the Irons from Chelsea and becoming the team’s first captain.
The centre-back has made 48 appearances in all competitions for the side, scoring one goal, and led the team to the Women’s FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in May 2019.
Swiss International Lehmann joined the east London team from BSC Young Boys Frauen. She has been of the leagues bright sparks as she scored 13 goals in 48 outings in all competitions for West Ham.
Cho signed for the Irons in January 2019 and has made 23 appearances since switching to West Ham, while Leon was arguably the standout performer for the Irons in 2019-20 and has scored nine goals in 26 showings in all competitions since her transfer from Seattle Reign.
Dali joined West Ham from Dijon last summer and finished as the team’s top scorer in the curtailed 2019/20 campaign, netting seven times in 19 appearances.
Photo: @WestHamWomen
