Arsenal have confirmed the signing of highly-rated Dutch winger Victoria Pelova from Ajax.
The Gunners' need for January reinforcements became incredibly pertinent after star forwards Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema both suffered anterior cruciate ligament injuries before the winter break. And with midfielder Jordan Nobbs having this week made the switch to fellow Women's Super League side Aston Villa, the need for Jonas Eidevall to boost his attacking ranks seemed increasingly pressing.
Pelova began her professional career at Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag in 2016, before making the switch to Ajax in 2019. Over the course of three and a half seasons in Amsterdam, the 23-year-old made 66 appearances for Ajax and scored 11 goals.
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Pelova has also made 31 appearances for the Dutch national team. She was part of the Netherlands squad that reached the final of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and played a key role in the team's run to the quarter-finals of the European Championship in 2022.
The winger has now signed for the Gunners on a permanent deal. Reflecting on the move, Pelova said: "I'm delighted to have signed for Arsenal. I’ve always admired this club and dreamt of following in the footsteps of some of the great Dutch players who have worn the shirt. I can’t wait to get going and start contributing to the team."
Head coach Jonas Eidevall added: "It’s fantastic news that we've signed Victoria. I think she’s one of the most exciting young players in the game and she will bring added dynamism and energy to our midfield. I’m looking forward to working with Victoria and I think our supporters are going to love watching her in an Arsenal shirt."
Head of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley said: "We're very pleased to have secured the signing of Victoria. She is one of the best young talents in European football and someone we have been tracking for some time. I know she will be an exciting addition to our squad and I look forward to watching her link up with her team-mates soon."
Arsenal currently sit second in the WSL table, just three points behind league leaders Chelsea with a game in hand. The two sides will meet when the WSL returns on January 15, with more than 35,000 tickets already sold for the clash at the Emirates.
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