England Women’s star Chloe Kelly has reportedly granted Arsenal Women a period of exclusivity in negotiations as she seeks a permanent home ahead of the new season.
After spending the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with Arsenal, the winger has now returned to her parent club Manchester City. However, her contract is due to expire at the end of the month, making her a free agent.
Interest in Kelly is expected to be strong, with clubs from the WSL, Europe and the United States all keen to secure her signature. However, according to The Athletic, the 27-year-old has instructed her representatives to prioritise discussions with Arsenal before speaking to any other suitors.
Arsenal offered first refusal
The terms under discussion are believed to include a potential three-year contract. If a deal is not reached, Kelly will be open to exploring other opportunities. This gesture of exclusivity is understood to stem from the player’s strong connection to the club, following a successful six-month spell in North London.
Kelly began her professional career at Arsenal back in 2015, before departing two years later to join Everton. Kelly spent 4 years with Everton before then moving to Man City in 2020. Her January return provided the Gunners with a boost in wide areas, and she went on to play a key role in their UEFA Women’s Champions League triumph, registering two assists across five appearances.
In total, Kelly featured 13 times in all competitions for Arsenal Women, starting six of those matches. By contrast, she had started just one game for Manchester City before completing her loan move.
Mutual respect could seal a permanent switch
After a difficult end to her City career, Kelly found renewed energy and support at Arsenal. That positive environment has clearly left a mark. The mutual respect between player and club appears strong, and there is now a genuine willingness from both sides to get a permanent deal over the line.
Whether Arsenal can finalise terms remains to be seen, but Kelly’s decision to give the club first refusal is a telling indication of how much the last six months have meant to her.
Would you like to see her stay in red and white next season?
Benjamin Kenneth
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I for one hope she stays. If Arsenal women are to make a sustained challenge to the likes of Chelsea, they need a quality squad with depth. And resigning Kelly would be a good start. 👍
No brainer! It’s become a clear disease endemic to Arsenal not to wrap up signing a player/s. Kelly was reinvigorated after rejoining Arsenal and she was instrumental in Arsenal winning the UCL and several domestic matches as a starter and a sub. Her camaraderie with teammates is exceptional. Just do it soonest not drag your feet lest you would be gazumped and vultured not by anyone else but by the serial domestic titles winner Chelsea who also now preying on Lily Yohannes of the USA in their ongoing ambitious bid to bolstering their squad. Tie the knot NOW!
My comment some six hours ago was rational glued to the topic in breach of nothing but confusingly debunked.