New Albion Women signing Riya Mannu says she “can’t wait” to test herself in senior football as she makes the temporary switch from Birmingham City.
The 19-year-old signed on a dual-registration basis on Friday afternoon, and joins having made her mark at both academy and senior level at the Blues, scoring her first senior goal in 2024 against Bristol City.
A creative force in the final third, Mannu believes she can “thrive” at the Baggies, where she’ll spend the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.
She said: “I’m really excited to make the move. I can’t wait to get started with the next part of the season and to test myself more in senior football.
“I wanted to join because of the vision that the manager has for the team, it made me really excited. It’s a young team that’s growing and playing attacking football.
“I would say I’m a creative player who likes playing on the half-turn and picking up pockets of space. Shev (Albion Women Manager Siobhan Hodgetts-Still) has made me feel really welcome.
“I feel she’s put things in place that can help me to thrive. One of the key reasons for me joining was because of the conversations that we had and how keen she is to help my development as a player.
“The aim is to get more minutes in senior football and to focus on my development as a young player, but also to have fun and express myself on the pitch.
“I’m buzzing to get started, all of the players have made me feel really welcome and I’m excited to get to know everyone on and off the pitch. I’m really pleased to have joined for the rest of the season.”
