Manchester City sign WSL record goalscorer Miedema

Manchester City have signed former Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema on a free transfer.

The 27-year-old, who is the all-time leading goalscorer in the Women's Super League, left the Gunners at the end of June after her contract expired.

Arsenal decided against offering Miedema a new deal, despite her scoring 125 goals in 172 appearances for the club.

The Netherlands international, who was limited to just eight WSL appearances over the past two seasons after she tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee in December 2022, has now signed a three-year deal with City.

"The reason I chose City is because they have the same ambitions as me - they want to win the league and titles," said Miedema.

"I’ve always said I want to play with the best players in the world and I think City have got that.

"I haven't played as much football as I would have wished over the past two years, but I think and hope my best years are still to come. I hope I'm going to be able to help the team as much as I can do.

"In the end, it was an easy choice for me. I want to challenge myself every day in training, but also every single week in the games we play."

Miedema joined Arsenal in 2017 from Bayern Munich and won the WSL title with the Gunners in 2019, as well as three League Cup titles in 2018, 2023 and 2024.

'One of the greatest players in WSL history'

Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal chose not to offer a contract extension to Miedema.

She is one of the greatest players in WSL history and at 27, albeit still recovering fully from her ACL injury, many feel she can hit top form again.

Miedema is a natural goalscorer who has played much of her career as a number nine, but has had more of a desire to play as a number 10 in recent years.

At Manchester City there is already an array of attacking talent, including last season's Golden Boot winner Khadija Shaw and England international Lauren Hemp.

And they broke their women's transfer record last season to sign Netherlands attacking midfielder Jill Roord.

After missing out on the WSL title on goal difference on the final day of the 2023-24 season, City needed to make moves in the transfer window to knock champions Chelsea, who have won the past five titles, off their perch - and this is certainly a statement of intent.