Man City frontrunners to sign Vivianne Miedema as Arsenal decide against offering new contract
Manchester City are the frontrunners in the race to sign the Women’s Super League’s all-time record goalscorer Vivianne Miedema on a free transfer this summer after Arsenal confirmed she will leave the north London club at the end of her contract.
Telegraph Sport understands that Netherlands star Miedema, who has scored 79 WSL goals since joining Arsenal from Bayern Munich in 2017, is a priority target for Manchester City, according to multiple sources.
Arsenal are understood to have opted not to try to prolong Miedema’s seven-year stay with the north London side, where she has become a club legend, and will not be renewing her contract.
The 27-year-old missed last summer’s World Cup because of an anterior cruciate ligament injury but was a Euro 2017 winner with her native Netherlands and also helped her national side reach the 2019 World Cup final.
She was also a key part of the Arsenal side that won the WSL title in 2019 and, in all competitions, she has netted 125 goals and provided 50 assists in 172 appearances for the club.
“Viv has taken on a special place in the hearts of our supporters, who I’m sure will have many fond memories of her time at Arsenal,” Arsenal’s director of women’s football Clare Wheatley told the club’s website. “Viv leaves with our best wishes for the future after seven memorable years here.”
Miedema, in a lengthy post on her social media accounts, described playing for Arsenal as an honour and added, addressing the club’s fans: “Thank you for making this chapter of my life so memorable. I’ve loved being part of a community that makes us feel safe.”
The two-time WSL Golden Boot winner added: “My time at Arsenal will be forever with and I’m grateful for all the special memories.”
Arsenal are third in the WSL table, five points behind leaders Manchester City with just one round of fixtures remaining.
