Brazilian defender Rafaelle Souza will leave Arsenal this summer after 18 months at the club.
The 31-year-old arrived at Arsenal from Chinese side Changchun Zhuoyue in January 2022 and has been a regular part of their defence.
Rafaelle has made 21 WSL appearances for the club and was a big part in Arsenal’s run to the Women’s Champions League semi-finals this season.
The centre-back’s on-field partnership with Leah Williamson has been the cornerstone of Arsenal’s progress since her arrival last January, with head coach Jonas Eidevall specifically searching for a left-footed centre-back.
Rafaelle also scored vital goals in this season’s Conti Cup final win and Champions League semi-final first-leg draw at Wolfsburg to help keep Arsenal’s season on track.
That goal against Chelsea in the Conti Cup final helped Arsenal secure their first trophy since 2019. The north London side are also set to claim the final Champions League spot in the Women’s Super League unless Manchester City overturn a huge goal difference swing on the final day of the season on Saturday.
Souza’s next destination could be the U.S. and the experienced defender has been linked to a move to the Orlando Pride, given the $350,000 allocation money that has been left unspent following a four-way trade…
