Leon embracing change with move to Manchester United

For Canadian forward Adriana Leon, the offer to join Manchester United wasn’t something she could turn down – for more than one reason.

“I’ve always been a United fan, and Ronaldo is my favourite player. Hopefully I get to meet him,” she laughed.

Leon signed with the storied club last week after spending three and a half seasons with West Ham in the Women’s Super League in England. Her new contract keeps her with the team until the end of the 2023-24 season.

“It's one of the biggest clubs in the world. It's a team that, in my opinion, you can't say no to,” Leon told TSN. “Change is a bit scary, but I think it's also a good thing. It just felt like the right time to make that change, especially with the World Cup next year. I was looking to join a competitive club, an ambitious club, and I just felt like United was the right place.”

The native of Maple, Ont., said she was eyeing other options in Europe, including Champions League finalists, Barcelona, but wanted to stay in England.

“I believe it's the best league in the world, and it’s the most competitive with the best players,” she said. “I just think that football in England is so respected, and it's such a big part of the culture. It would be a shame to not be playing in England due to those reasons.”

Leon also pointed to a conversation with Manchester United’s head coach, Marc Skinner, that helped entice her.

“After speaking to him and listening to him on his coaching philosophy and the way that he wants his team to play, I just felt that it aligned perfectly with my ambitions,” she said. “After that call, I knew that I wanted to be a United player.”

Specifically, the 29-year-old feels Skinner’s preferred style of play fits with her skillset. The Canadian is dynamic with the ball at her feet and a powerful finisher in front of goal.

“Speaking to Marc, I know that he wants to push, keep pushing forward, push numbers forward. He wants to start a lot of strikers on the pitch at once, and he wants his forwards to interchange. I just felt like that suits my game perfectly,” she said.

“Adriana is a player that will excite our fans and offer valuable experience both on and off the field,” Skinner said in a statement. “Her flexibility to play in multiple positions effectively, while attacking and defending one-on-one duels with ferocity, will add excellent variety to our continuously developing team.”

Leon is the latest Canadian international to join a top English club after Kadeisha Buchanan made the move to Chelsea FC, and head coach Bev Priestman says there is already a noticeable change with Leon.

“She’s excited. You can see that look in her eyes, exactly like you can with a Kadeisha or players that have made some big moves,” Priestman said last week. “When you walk out on the pitch, you've got players playing for top clubs, week in and week out. As a teammate and as a coach, it only fills you with confidence.

“I'm thrilled for Adriana because this is probably the height of her career. It's the sharpest I've ever seen her.”

Leon will also become the first Canadian woman to play for Manchester United, something she describes as surreal.

“I can't believe it. But I'm hoping I'm making Canadians proud and hopefully setting the standard for more Canadians to follow,” she said.

Despite the trailblazing move, Leon admits it was a difficult choice to leave West Ham. She finished with 13 goals in 59 appearances for the club and helped her team to the FA Women’s Cup final in 2019.

“I really enjoyed my time at West Ham the last three seasons, and I wish that team all the best moving forward. It was a tough decision to leave just because of the relationships I had with people and with the club.” she said. “I felt like I did improve as a player and created memories that I'll never forget at the club.”

The move to Manchester comes after a tumultuous year for Leon. Despite being part of the gold-medal winning team in Tokyo, Leon had two major injuries sandwiched around the Olympics.

She fractured her foot at the 2021 SheBelieves Cup, and admitted she played through pain for the remainder of the tournament.  Following surgery, she acknowledges she rushed back in order to be named to the roster for the Tokyo Olympics.

Following the Games, the injury resurfaced, and she required surgery again, sidelining her for several more months.

“That was quite difficult, just always being in a little bit of pain with that,” she said. “But now it's 110 per cent.”

Adversity is nothing new for Leon. After being part of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Leon was left off the roster for the 2016 Olympics, where Canada won bronze. She came back into the fold in 2017 and has been a mainstay with the national team ever since.

“I'm always striving to be better and to be a better person, better player. It's something I work towards every day,” she said. “I have my own ambitions and representing Canada is always an honour, and I love it. I will do anything to be the best player I can be for Canada and for club.”

Leon’s role on the Canadian team has often been debated by media and fans. She is often utilized as a “super sub,” but she has also been just as effective as a starter. In 83 appearances (37 starts) for her country, she has 23 goals, eighth-most all time for Canada.

Leon is an ambitious person on and off the field – she’s currently working towards a business certificate from Queen’s University in her spare time. But when asked about how she views her role on the team, she remains modest.

“I think for me, it's important just to bring what I can, whether I'm starting a game or if I'm coming on as a finisher,” she said. “That's something that Bev and the rest of the team knows – they'll always get my best foot forward and whatever it is the team needs that, I'll be there for them.”

Leon is currently with Canada at the CONCACAF W Championship in Monterrey, Mexico. On Friday, the Canadians qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after a 1-0 win over Panama.

“Obviously to play in a World Cup is extremely special,” Leon said. “I had the privilege to play in two, one in our home country [in 2015]. Playing next year in Australia – we’re heading over there to win the tournament.”