Aston Villa have signed the England midfielder Jordan Nobbs from Arsenal. The 30-year-old, who missed the Lionesses’ victorious European Championship campaign with a knee ligament injury, has an 18-month deal with an option to extend.
Nobbs won three Women’s Super League titles and four Women’s FA Cups during a 12-year spell with Arsenal and returned to the England squad for last September’s World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Luxembourg.
She has featured in all nine of Arsenal’s WSL fixtures this season, including their 4-1 win at Villa Park in December.
Nobbs wrote in a lengthy and emotional goodbye letter on Arsenal’s website: “I’ve cried a lot over the past few days because I knew this was coming and now the reality of it all is really settling in. There’s a saying that you shouldn’t cry because it’s over, you should smile because it happened, but I’m allowed to do both, right?
“I said my goodbyes to my teammates on Tuesday and I cried from the second I walked in, to the second I left, because this is my home. It’s everything I’ve known for the past 12 years and now I’m having to say goodbye. I know it’s not really goodbye, but this part of my life is over now and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.
“I’m leaving the love of my life behind and that’s something really quite scary for me. But I’ve got no regrets in my mind because it’s been the perfect fairytale.”
Villa’s manager, Carla Ward, told her club’s website: “This is a big signing for us and Jordan is one of the country’s most decorated footballers. She’s a winner and will bring a wealth of experience that her new teammates will thrive off. We’re delighted to secure her signature and we hope this move can help the football club as well as cement her place back in the international setup.”
