Araya Dennis has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract, and fittingly, the young forward could not hide her excitement about committing her future to the Club.
The agreement follows another strong period of development, building on the momentum she has generated since signing her first professional deal in February 2024.
After gaining valuable experience during a loan spell with Southampton in Women’s Super League 2 in the latter half of the 2024/25 campaign, Dennis has carried that progress into the current season.
She has featured five times so far, including a landmark Women’s Super League debut in the opening fixture against West Ham United.
She also marked a key milestone in Lilywhite in December 2024, scoring in the 2-1 Women’s League Cup victory over her former club Crystal Palace.
For Dennis, the decision to extend her stay was driven by the environment around her, both on and off the pitch.
“I’m a character, they say,” she said. “They’re just really good people to be around. They make it comfortable and they make me feel in the environment, which is important for me to be able to thrive – both on and off the pitch. They’ve allowed me to do that by just being them, being good people.”
The England youth international also highlighted the influence of Head Coach Martin Ho, whose standards continue to push her development forward.
“His attention to detail is probably the most I’ve seen in any coach and he’s obviously really passionate and he cares a lot about everything and everyone.”
Arriving at the Club as an 18-year-old before spending the remainder of the 2023/24 season at Crystal Palace, Dennis admits that stepping into a new environment can be challenging for any young player.
However, as the seasons have progressed, she now feels firmly settled and surrounded by support.
“I’d say probably the most would be Clare [Hunt] and Cathinka [Tandberg] in terms of like outside of football, I probably speak to them outside the Club the most. But, in the building, it’s everyone.
“You’ve got Drew [Spence] and Bethany [England] are two of the older players, but they are always making sure I’m like good – even though I probably annoy Drew the most because I’m the youngest as well!
“They are all like big sisters to me, they’re all just really good girls. It does feel like there’s a nice environment at the moment that everyone is a part of, feels like people are pulling in the right direction.”
With a new deal secured and confidence high, Dennis now looks set to continue her upward trajectory, determined to repay the Club’s faith as she grows into her role within a united and ambitious squad.
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