Denise O’Sullivan has turned down interest from the Barclays Women’s Super League and elsewhere in the NWSL to sign a new contract with North Carolina Courage which will keep her at the Courage until at least 2026.

Amid reported interest from Manchester United and Aston Villa, O’Sullivan rejected a return to the Barclays WSL having briefly featured in the league with Brighton in 2020. Since joining North Carolina Courage in 2017, O’Sullivan has won three NWSL Shields, two NWSL championships, and two NWSL Challenge Cups. 

The Cork native told press :

“I’m delighted and honoured to extend my time with the North Carolina Courage. When I joined seven years ago, I had no idea how big an impact this club would have on me as a player and a person.

The Courage prioritises playing a beautiful style of football that suits me well and holds everyone to incredibly high standards while creating a family environment that allows for healthy growth.

The opportunity to serve as captain of this club has been one of the great joys of my professional life, and I am excited to stay and help teach the next wave of players what it means to be a member of the Courage.

We’ve had a lot of great accomplishments in my time here, but we have much more to do. I’m excited to get back to work with my girls.” 

O’Sullivan’s head coach at the Courage Sean Nahas added:

“This is a great day for our club. Denise’s decision to stay here in North Carolina means everything. She’s a club legend, a leader, a world-class person and player.

It means the world to me and our staff that she trusts us to help her continue to grow as a player and add to her legendary career. She has stood by us and helped us get through so much, both on and off the field.

She is the embodiment of what it is to be a Courage player and someone I have the utmost respect for. She has been a massive part of our past and she will be a major part of shaping our future.

I am absolutely thrilled to have her stay here and can’t wait for our captain and leader to continue setting the standard and raising the bar of the club and team.”

The Ireland international has captained the NWSL side since early 2023 and her decision is a major coup for the Courage outfit going into the second half of the season.