Kathrine Kuhl explains why she had to leave Arsenal Women this winter

If you’ve been following Arsenal Women’s transfer activity, you’ll know that it’s been a busy one in terms of exits. Only one player, Emily Fox, has joined, while three have left. Kathrine Kuhl, who has joined Everton on loan, was one of three players to leave. Other than her, the other two departures were Noelle Maritz, who joined Aston Villa on a permanent basis, and Gio Queiroz, who joined Madrid CFF on loan.

Kuhl has made a promising start with the Toffees despite only playing 21 minutes; she came on as a 70th-minute substitute in Everton’s 3-0 FA Cup win over Aston Villa and looked active. She would have played against Arsenal in the Gunners’ WSL clash with the Toffees (which Arsenal won 2-1), but Jonas Eidevall did not agree to her playing that game; he most likely did not want her to give the Toffees an advantage.

So, what did Kuhl say about her choice to push for a loan exit?

“I think I’ve developed a lot through being at Arsenal for the past year. The quality of the players there is just incredible, and the training sessions are just top. But it gets to a point where it’s not only the training that matters; it’s also about game time,” she said to the Liverpool Echo.

Here’s a breakdown of her Arsenal appearances this season:

She appeared in only two WSL games out of 10 in the first half of this season (as an extra-time substitute in Arsenal’s 6-2 win over Leicester and the 86th-minute substitute in Arsenal’s  3-0 victory over Brighton). This was in contrast to the 11 games she played for Arsenal in the WSL last season, after joining Arsenal from Danish side Nordsjaelland in the middle of the 2022–23 season. Kuhl also appeared for the Gunners in the Continental Cup, featuring in the wins over Southampton, Bristol, and Tottenham Hotspur.

That said, it’s comforting to hear her appreciate the development she’s had at Arsenal and also boldly express her desire to play. Lest we forget, she also admits how competitive the Arsenal Women squad is. I hope that while at Everton, she may satisfy her desire to play, put in the hard work, rediscover her good form, and be able to compete for a spot on Eidevall’s team next season.