Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Rosa Kafaji from Swedish side BK Hacken.

The Athletic reported that a transfer fee for the 21-year-old had been agreed between the clubs last week. Kafaji has now joined on a long-term contract and will wear the number 16.

A nine-cap Sweden international, Kafaji made her senior debut at 15 for AIK Football. She made 46 appearances for her hometown club before signing for Hacken in January 2022, where she scored 28 goals in 61 appearances.

“It feels amazing to join this club – I’m so happy to be here,” Kafaji said. “I had a very good feeling after speaking to Jonas and Clare and it just feels right to be at Arsenal. I’m hungry to keep growing and I know this is the right place for me to do that and compete for the biggest trophies. I can’t wait to get started and walk out at Emirates Stadium in front of all our supporters.”

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Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall added: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Rosa to the club. She’s one of the most exciting young talents in the world and I’ve been a keen admirer of her game for a number of years. She plays with a fearlessness beyond her age and I know she has the hunger and mentality it…

The Premier League, EFL, FA, and Women’s Super League (WSL) have announced a new code of conduct for gambling-related agreements in football.

The code, which will be implemented at the start of the 2024-25 season, is designed to regulate gambling sponsorships across the professional game, emphasising four key principles: protection, social responsibility, reinvestment, and integrity.

A key aspect of the code is its emphasis on reinvestment. Revenue generated from gambling sponsorships must be redirected into football-related infrastructure and community programmes. This includes improvements to stadiums and training facilities, as well as investments in grassroots football and local community participation.

Under the new code, gambling sponsorships will also be required to target their marketing efforts more carefully to avoid reaching children and individuals at risk of gambling-related harm. Additionally, any gambling-related sponsorship must include educational initiatives and awareness campaigns designed to promote responsible gambling practices.

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The importance of maintaining the integrity of football competitions is also stressed in the code, adding that gambling sponsorships must…

The Women’s Super League season will open with Arsenal versus Manchester City, as both teams look to finally end Chelsea’s grip on the title. Now Emma Hayes has left Chelsea to coach the U.S. Women’s National Team, there is a sense that this is the best opportunity yet to dethrone the most successful team of the WSL era.

Arsenal and City made strong starts to the transfer window, indicating a desire to be well-prepared by the time of the season opener on September 22: Arsenal have signed Mariona Caldentey from Barcelona, while City moved quickly to secure Vivianne Miedema from Arsenal.

For Jonas Eidevall and Gareth Taylor, head coaches of Arsenal and Manchester City respectively, there is a question mark over how long they can justify being in their jobs without winning the league. Taylor can at least point to his second-place finish last season, missing out on the title on goal difference, but for Eidevall, two successive third-place finishes where his team have been well adrift of the title race means the pressure is on.

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The mutual decision by club and player to not renew Miedema’s contract took some by surprise, but it has long been clear that the all-time WSL top goalscorer was not suited to the…

New Jersey governor Phil Murphy says he “would die” to bring Premier League matches to the United States, explaining that he believes it is in the competition’s “enlightened self-interest” to do so.

Murphy, 66, has been involved in football for several decades, including serving on the board of U.S. Soccer and co-owning the NWSL team NJ/NY Gotham FC.

MetLife Stadium, the 82,500-capacity arena situated in New Jersey, will be the venue for the 2026 World Cup final and hosted a friendly between Manchester United and Arsenal last year, as well as three games — two group fixtures and a semi-final — at the Copa America this summer. Real Madrid and Barcelona will play a Clasico pre-season friendly there on August 3.

Asked whether he envisaged these matches becoming competitive fixtures, Murphy replied: “I would die for that. And by the way, the exhibitions — we will have Real and Barcelona on August 3, we’ll have to shrink our capacity a little bit for FIFA — every ticket was sold and the game didn’t count. I would love to — I would die — to see what happens in a game that counts. It would sell every ticket and then some.”

Leading executives at NBC Sports, the American broadcaster that spent $2.7billion (£2.2bn) on a six-year Premier League deal, have been…

Arsenal face a challenge to retain one of their leading women’s players, with Katie McCabe identified by Lyon as a firm target this summer.

The north London side recently saw Vivianne Miedema, the Women’s Super League’s all-time top scorer, move to rivals Manchester City on a free transfer when her contract expired.

Arsenal decided against offering Miedema a new deal — the decorated former Barcelona forward Mariona Caldentey has joined as a replacement — whereas McCabe signed fresh terms last year and the club want her to stay.

However, that has not dissuaded Lyon from pursuing the 28-year-old left-back and they are ready to make a formal bid if Arsenal show any indication they are willingo do business.

Lyon collected a 17th French title last season but were denied their ninth Champions League triumph by Barcelona and, following the exit of Sonia Bompastor to Chelsea, recruited former Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro as head coach.

Having enjoyed a successful spell at Juventus most recently, Montemurro will be responsible for re-establishing Lyon’s dominant position in Europe and a potential reunion with Republic of Ireland captain McCabe is high on his agenda.

Lyon have contacted Arsenal to express their interest and were informed she is not for sale — McCabe has…

Arsenal Women have confirmed the signing of Mariona Caldentey from Barcelona Femeni on a permanent transfer.

Caldentey, 28, joins after 10 years at Barcelona during which time she won 25 trophies, including six Liga F titles, three UEFA Women’s Champions Leagues. The forward scored 114 goals in 302 games for Barcelona, and has scored 26 goals in 72 matches for Spain, who she helped win the World Cup in 2023.

“I’m so happy to be here,” said Caldentey, who will wear the number 8 for Arsenal. “This is the right time for a new challenge for me and Arsenal is the perfect place. I think what Arsenal are doing as a club is amazing – on and off the pitch. I love the way we want to play as a team and I think there’s a strong mentality building here.

“It’s been incredible to see what the club has done away from the pitch, with supporters following the team everywhere and lots of records being broken. I can’t wait to get started and help the team win trophies and entertain our supporters.”

Head coach Jonas Eidevall added: “Mariona is a world-class forward and we are delighted to bring her to Arsenal. She’s a winner with proven experience of excelling on the biggest stage, which is exactly where we aim to be at this club. We believe Mariona will be a superb addition…

Arsenal have confirmed that midfielder Victoria Pelova suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while on international duty with the Netherlands last week.

Pelova, 25, was substituted after 12 minutes of the Netherlands’ 1-1 draw with Finland in their European Championship qualifier. The injury came from an extension of the knee and its extent was determined through tests over the last week.

A club statement read: “(Pelova) will undergo surgery in due course and will be sidelined for an extended period. Everyone at the club will now be supporting Victoria through her recovery and return to action.”

Arsenal underwent a crisis of ACL during the 2022-23 season, with Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson and Laura Wienroither all sidelined by the serious knee injury.

Recovery usually takes around nine months, but a return to true match sharpness comes later. As a result, Arsenal may expect to be without Pelova for the majority of the 2024-25 season.

That will be a major blow for head coach Jonas Eidevall considering the Netherlands international proved her worth in midfield alongside Lia Walti and Kim Little throughout the 2023-24 campaign. Arsenal have other midfield options, such as Frida Maanum and Kathrine Kuhl, but Pelova brings a unique skillset…

Arsenal Women have confirmed their first-ever pre-season tour will take place in the United States this summer ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

They will be based in Washington D.C. from August 15-26. Jonas Eidevall’s side will face National Women’s Soccer League side Washington Spirit at Audi Field on Sunday August 18 and fellow Women’s Super League (WSL) team, Chelsea, at the same stadium on Sunday August 25.

Arsenal closed their 2023-24 season with their first-ever trip to Australia, where they beat A-League All Stars Women 1-0 in front of 42,120 fans at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. 5,000 fans also watched an open training session at AAMI Park in Melbourne. Audi Field’s capacity is 20,000.

Arsenal sporting director, Edu Gaspar, said: “We always want to create the best conditions for our teams to prepare and perform at their best in pre-season. This gives our players an opportunity to play and train in a new environment, in front of our supporters around the world.

“We look forward to a strong pre-season for our men’s and women’s teams, laying the foundations for a successful season ahead.”

Managing director, Richard Garlick said: “To take our women’s team to the US for the first time on tour is another sign of great progress.

“We know from our recent trip…

Dear readers,

The Premier League and Champions League are over for another season but the summer of 2024 is packed full of live action and transfer fun and games — and we’ll cover it all in detail on The Athletic.

From Europe’s major clubs travelling across the world (and to the United States in particular) to all the moves (and nearly moves) of the summer transfer window, plus two major international tournaments, Emma Hayes starting her reign as USWNT head coach and the Olympics, our team of reporters will bring you in-depth coverage of the things you care about.

We’ll be on the ground in Germany for Euro 2024; across the U.S. for Copa America, MLS, NWSL and Premier League pre-season; in Paris, France for the summer Olympic Games’ football action, and everywhere in between — ensuring you don’t miss a thing when it comes to the beautiful game.

The club content you know and love won’t stop either. Our trusted team of reporters will hit the phones to bring you the latest moves in the transfer window as we embark on an ambitious project to cover the summer ins and outs like never before.

And it doesn’t stop there.

You might already follow our NFL, NBA or NHL coverage, but did you know we also cover a range of other sports, including golf, Formula 1 and tennis? Mark out…

England captain Leah Williamson has signed a new deal at Arsenal.

The defender, 27, has made 232 appearances since making her debut on her 17th birthday in March 2014.

Williamson, who captained England to win the 2022 European Championships, missed most of last season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered away to Manchester United in April 2023, but returned to make nine Women’s Super League appearances in 2023-24.

“Everyone knows what Arsenal means to me, but I think every time I sign a new contract, I feel that love ignite all over again,” she said.

“I’m very happy to be staying – this is a place where I can still continue to grow, develop and be challenged. As a group, we’re all very focused on bringing more silverware to this club and I can’t wait to get started again when the new season comes around.”

Head coach Jonas Eidevall added: “Leah is an essential part of our team so we’re delighted she has signed a new contract with us. She brings us so much on and off the pitch – leadership, accountability and commitment.

“Leah has a special bond with Arsenal and I’m looking forward to continuing to work together to bring more success to…