Arsenal have signed the England winger Chloe Kelly on loan until the end of the season from Manchester City, after a last-ditch move was finalised shortly before Thursday’s 11pm transfer deadline.
It is understood City also accepted a bid for Kelly from Brighton, and that City rejected an offer from rivals Manchester United, with Kelly’s destination not ultimately decided until very late in the day on Thursday as the closure of the Women’s Super League’s January window loomed.
The 27-year-old had wanted to move in a bid for more playing time, in the hope of earning a place in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for July’s European Championship in Switzerland, where the Lionesses will seek to defend the title they won in 2022 when Kelly’s extra-time goal clinched victory over Germany at Wembley.
Arsenal’s head coach, Renée Slegers, said: “Chloe is an exciting attacking player and will be a great addition to our squad as we approach the second half of the season. She’s direct and explosive, with huge natural talent and ability.”
Kelly had been increasingly frozen out at City, making only one start in the WSL this season amid reports linking her with a move. On Wednesday she released a statement on social media accusing City of dictating who she could and could not join.
Kelly also said she accepted she has no future at City beyond the end of her contract which expires in June, breaking her silence after weeks of speculation about her future, seemingly in a last-resort plea to be permitted to leave. Kelly’s statement added: “The situation has dragged on far too long, it’s disappointing and not right. Ultimately I just want to be happy again.”
The Austria defender Laura Wienroither has signed for Manchester City on loan from Arsenal for the rest of the season, but the deal is not directly tied to the move for Kelly. The full-back Wienroither has players ahead of her in the pecking order at Arsenal, and the club were happy to help her secure more regular game time for the rest of the season.
Elsewhere on a busy deadline day, the WSL’s bottom side Crystal Palace bolstered their defensive options with two international-level signings, by adding the Netherlands defender Aniek Nouwen on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season and signing Jamaica’s Allyson Swaby for an undisclosed fee from Milan.
