Arsenal Women sign Man City star after 'messy break up'

Robin Bairner

• 31 Jan 2025 04:30 CST
• 6 min read

Arsenal Women completed a major coup prior to the WSL transfer deadline on Thursday by capturing Chloe Kelly on loan from Manchester City.

Kelly’s departure from City is a controversial one, with the 27-year-old forward having gone public on her desire to leave the Etihad club.

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She had wanted to stay in Manchester and had hoped that a deal with Man Utd might be brokered, but it ultimately proved impossible. Having turned down the chance to go to Brighton, she moved instead to Arsenal.

Kelly, who scored England’s winning goal at Euro 2022, has only started one WSL game this season and her departure from City has been described as an ugly one.

Sky Sports Anton Toloui explained: “Chloe Kelly's departure from Man City is one of the messiest break-ups in WSL history. From Kelly's point of view, all she's wanted during this window is a move, ideally to Man United because she's happy and settled in the northwest. She wants to be selected for this summer's Euros.

“From Man City's perspective, they are frustrated too, because all they wanted to do was find Kelly first-team football, but they had to balance that with what was right for the club.

“They accepted two offers on Deadline Day, one from Brighton and one from Arsenal. But really messy behind the scenes and clear that Kelly's relationship with City became combustable towards the end.”

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What did Chloe Kelly say about Manchester City?

Kelly’s departure from City became inevitable when she posted a lengthy Instagram post detailing her unhappiness and frustration at the club.

Kelly took to Instagram to post: “A message from me. For a long time, I've tried to work through professional challenges privately, not commenting publicly, but with my situation increasingly being debated in the public domain, I feel it's time to be open and transparent, and you heard it from my perspective.

“A key lesson I have learned in my life is that, while I can't control someone's negative behaviour towards me, I can control how long I am prepared to tolerate it.

"From day one, I've felt so much love from my team-mates and the fans. With my contract expiring in June, I've accepted my future is not at this club beyond then.

“However, to be dictated whom I can and can't join with only four months left of the football season is having a huge impact on not only my career but my mental wellbeing. The situation has dragged on for too long, it's disappointing and not right.

“I'm at a pivotal point in my life and my career is so important to me, and [it] is very disappointing that the sport we love can make you feel this way, especially after there's been so much growth in our sport.

“This is why I'm posting this, because I want to make you all aware that we as players dedicate our lives to our sport and our clubs but our dreams can be crushed while we live in silence.

“I am human and I have and will give everything to the game that I love. Ultimately, I just want to be happy again.”