Talented teenage striker Elise Hughes who signed her first professional contract with Everton Women and handed the coveted number nine jersey this term, hopes for a prosperous season ahead with the Toffees.
Welsh international Hughes made her senior debut aged 16 in February of last year and established herself in Willie Kirk’s first-team squad last term.
Hughes will hope to get game time for The Dragons tomorrow night (8th October) for their trip to Belarus for the European Championship qualifiers.
The converted defender, a graduate from Everton’s academy, was crowned Wales’ Young Player of the Year following her impressive 2018/19 campaign.
The 18-year-old’s new two-year deal ties her to the club until at least summer 2021 and is a massive boost for Everton’s Women’s Super League campaign.
The lifelong blue, said: “For me to become a professional footballer is everything, it’s what I dreamed of as a kid.”
“I’ve been an Evertonian for as long as I can remember. From when I signed as a young kid, through to now, it’s meant everything to me.”
“I want to repay the faith of my manager for giving me my first professional contract, I want to play as many games as I can and score goals for Everton.”
Hughes added: “I didn’t know if the number nine shirt was guaranteed but when the squad numbers were announced, I was in shock because I’m so young. I’m just happy to wear to wear any shirt as long as it’s an Everton one.”
The striker will be hoping to get off the mark in the WSL this weekend as The Blues travel to Reading on Sunday 13th November.
Hughes scored her first senior goal for the club in last December’s Merseyside derby win at Liverpool, a moment she will treasure forever.
“I still think that was the best day of my life,” she adds. “I remember when the goal went in and I just around and all my teammates were jumping on me and I think they knew how much it meant to me being an Evertonian and scoring my first goal against Liverpool.”
Hughes will be hoping to repeat this feat in the same fixture on Sunday 17th November as Everton Women take on their Merseyside counterparts at Prenton Park.
Hear the full interview with Everton’s new number nine here.
Image courtesy of James Boyes via Creative Commons license.
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