Jenna Nighswonger departs Gotham for Arsenal

Audio By Carbonatix

Former National Women's Soccer League Rookie of the Year Jenna Nighswonger has joined Arsenal, the club announced Thursday.

Nighswonger has played for Gotham FC since the 2023 season. Arsenal will pay an undisclosed fee for the 24-year-old defender.

Nighswonger was on the United States squad that won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer. She joins fellow American Emily Fox on the Women's Super League team, which is currently fourth in the standings under coach Renee Slegers.

“I’ve always wanted to play in England and joining such a historic football club is a dream come true," Nighswonger said in a statement. "I want to win trophies with this club and help the team in any way possible. It’s an incredible feeling to be able to call myself an Arsenal player and I can’t wait to get started.”

Nighswonger, who played on Florida State's 2021 national championship team, was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NWSL draft. She appeared in 51 matches for Gotham, which won the 2023 league championship.

At the international level, Nighswonger has played in 18 matches for the United States, scoring a pair of goals.

“Jenna has had a great trajectory in the game and we’re delighted to bring her to Arsenal. Despite being only 24, she plays with great maturity and presence and knows what it takes to compete to win on the biggest stages at both domestic and national team level," Slegers said.

Nighswonger is the latest NWSL player to head to Europe, following fellow national team defender Naomi Girma, who joined Chelsea from the San Diego Wave for a $1.1 million transfer fee. Brazilian forward Kerolin, the 2023 NWSL MVP, recently signed as a free agent with Manchester City after three seasons with the North Carolina Courage.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer