Arsenal seal CLUB-RECORD deal for World Cup star
Tom Weber
- Updated: 14 Sep 2023 16:51 CDT
- 4 min read
Arsenal have agreed a deal for Australian midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross for a club-record fee, according to reports.
It is being reported that the Gunners are on the verge of announcing that they have managed to snap up one of the most highly-rated midfielders in women's football, and they broke the bank (in relative terms) to get her.
Kyra Cooney-Cross starred for Australia at the bygone World Cup on home soil. The 21-year-old looked unfazed by the occasion as she bossed the midfield and quickly became one of the most recognisable faces at the tournament.
But in truth, the midfielder has been a hot commodity ever since her days in what was then called the W-League, Australia's women's top flight, now known as the A-League Women.
ABSOLUTE SCENES AS @kyracooneyx WINS IT AT THE DEATH FOR @victorywleague
🎥: @FOXFOOTBALL#GetItAll #SYDvMVC #WLeagueGF #MVFC #BigBlue pic.twitter.com/v4KBlDDIfe— Liberty A-League (@aleaguewomen) April 11, 2021
A record deal
After leaving Melbourne Victory in 2022, Cooney-Cross took her first steps in European football with Swedish side Hammarby where she continued to impress.
As such, the Damallsvenskan side were holding out for £140,000 this summer, according to Sky Sports, despite her contract expiring in December. This fee put other interested clubs off, but Arsenal weren't ready to take the risk and wait until the winter.
They offered the requested £140,000 up front and the deal could rise to as high as £250,000 if certain bonuses are achieved, according to the above-mentioned report.
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Negotiations between the two clubs took 48 hours, but it seems that this is far from a Deadline Day panic buy. According to Arseblog News, the 21-year-old was in the stands during Arsenal's 3-0 Champions League victory over Linkoping on September 6.
Arsenal Women's previous record signing was Lina Hurtig, who joined from Juventus for a reported £125,000 last season, though Arseblog claims that this number has been inflated by Italian media.
The Women's Super League transfer window closes tonight and the new season kicks off on October 1.
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