Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers is convinced new signing Chloe Kelly can make a big impact at the club.
Kelly, 27, has returned to Arsenal on loan to complete an acrimonious departure from Manchester City, but is not eligible on Sunday when the two sides clash in the Women’s Super League.
The England forward, who scored their winning goal in the Euro 2022 final against Germany, accused City of “negative behaviour” towards her in a scathing social media post earlier this week.
Welcome back to The Arsenal 💪
Chloe Kelly has joined us on loan for the rest of the 24/25 season.
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) January 30, 2025
Slegers said Kelly had been on Arsenal’s list of transfer targets and that she had spoken with the player on Thursday.
“It was a conversation about her thoughts and feelings and questions coming from both ends. It was very good, we both opened up,” Slegers said.
“We are convinced that she will come to Arsenal to contribute, we see her quality and her ambitions, so we are very excited.”
Londoner Kelly began her professional career at Arsenal in 2015 and spent two years at Everton before moving on to City in 2020.
Slegers feels Kelly is a perfect fit for the Gunners, adding: “She’s been at the club before so she understands what Arsenal is.
“She understands the history of the club and knows girls and staff members from before.
“When you enjoy what you’re doing you get more out of yourself, and from speaking to Chloe she’s very motivated in what she wants and I think she’ll bring something.”
Arsenal will bid to leap-frog City into the top three with victory on Sunday, while the two sides will meet again four days later at Meadows Park in the League Cup.
City boss Gareth Taylor could hand starts to new signing Kerolin and Khadija Shaw on Sunday, the latter following her recovery from injury, but Laura Coombs (thigh) has been ruled out.
Taylor said: “Both (Kerolin and Shaw) are pretty close (to starting). Of course, when you go into three games in seven days it’s about working out the best way to do that.
“We have good options and it’s kind of working out what that week looks like. We’re not looking too far ahead, we have an important game on Sunday.”
Chelsea, seven points clear at the top of the table, will be bidding to extend their unbeaten league start to 13 matches when they play at Aston Villa, while Tottenham hope to close the gap on the top three by overcoming second-placed Manchester United in an evening kick-off.
Brighton aim to halt a four-game winless league run in their home game against bottom club Crystal Palace, while both Liverpool and Everton have home games against West Ham and Leicester respectively.
