Wales international striker Hughes signs for Sunderland

Wales international forward Elise Hughes has signed for Women’s Super League 2 club Sunderland on a two-year contract.

The 25-year-old joins the Lady Black Cats following the expiration of her contract with Crystal Palace.

Hughes claimed the Championship Golden Boot in 2023-24 after scoring 23 goals in 27 appearances to help Palace secure promotion to the Women’s Super League.

She joined the Eagles from Charlton Athletic in 2022 and finished as the club’s leading scorer in her first season of 2022-23 before enjoying a prolific promotion-winning campaign.

Last term Hughes featured in all 22 Championship matches, scoring four goals and providing one assist, as the Eagles sealed promotion back to the WSL.

In total, Hughes scored 34 goals for Crystal Palace in 89 games.

The 25-year-old has also represented Cymru more than 30 times at senior level, scoring her first international goal in 2023 before featuring at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, the nation’s first major tournament.

Earlier in her career, she was at Everton, Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers.

Hughes returned to action 12 months ago after a long lay-off with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. She has settled well back into the international set-up.

Hailing from Hawarden, Flintshire, Elise is the daughter of former Connah’s Quay Nomads striker Peter Hughes.