The opening of the Women’s Super League (WSL) January transfer window has reignited rumors that Keira Walsh could join Arsenal.
The midfielder’s contract with F League giants Barcelona expires this summer, and it is known that he is looking for a new club. The 27-year-old first signed for the Catalan club after England secured Euro 2022, leaving Manchester City for a then world record fee of £400,000.
After speculation began in 2023. 90 min examines the time frame of the call to weigh the likelihood that Walsh is on his way to north London…
News of Walsh’s potential move to Arsenal first emerged in the summer of 2023, following reports from Arsenal correspondent Tim Stillman.
Stillman told Arseblog News: “Arsenal have wanted a defensive midfielder all summer. I was told at the start of the window that Keira Walsh was a serious target but it was a complicated job for obvious reasons.”
However, having signed a three-year deal with Barcelona in the summer of 2022, a move to the Gunners was out of the question at the moment.
The club then signed Australian Kyra Cooney-Cross within a day, finalizing their pursuit of a defensive midfielder during the 2023 summer window.
Rumors then surfaced once again a year later, after The Athletic reported that Arsenal continued to maintain an interest in Walsh.
“Barcelona see Walsh as an important part of their squad and would demand a huge transfer fee from Arsenal if they are looking for a midfielder,” they explained. “Indeed, a north London club could be interested, but whether a fee or a contract can be agreed is another matter.”
The news broke just weeks before the Gunners managed to seal a deal for Walsh’s Barcelona team-mate Marion Caldentey, who left after 10 years.
Declan Rice has been spotted training with the England star amid Arsenal’s transfer window #AFC https://t.co/XQyVZgIWYO
— Arsenal FC News (@ArsenalFC_fl) July 29, 2024
Social media was abuzz when Walsh was spotted at a summer training camp with Arsenal and England star Declan Rice. His midfield colleagues were seen training hard in the Dubai heat, reigniting rumors of a potential move to north London.
The most significant twist in the saga came when it was confirmed that Barcelona had officially rejected Arsenal’s world record bid at the end of the 2024 summer window.
Arsenal made a desperate offer of £930,000, which was firmly rejected by Barcelona. That sum would once again make Walsh the most expensive transfer in the history of women’s football, a feat achieved by Barcelona just two years earlier for less than half the price.
“There is no reason for Keira to leave. She has been with us throughout pre-season and is a key player for us,” Barcelona head coach Pere Romeu said.
Despite the Spanish teams’ strong claim that Walsh will honor his contract in Spain, BBC Sport reported that the England star “has already informed the club that he does not intend to extend [in the summer] because he wants to return home for personal reasons.”
Despite the failed bid, the case appeared to be far from settled when the midfielder was spotted in the stands for the first match of the WSL season between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
Fans reignited their speculation as Walsh sat alongside Leah Williamson’s family as the match played out.
While there is no further speculation that Walsh will move to north London during the current transfer window, there is a strong case for why a move could be convincing.
Arsenal now enter the business end of the 2024/25 season. They are preparing for the quarter-final stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, while debuts in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup and League Cup loom on the horizon. Currently seven points adrift of Chelsea at the top of the WSL table, the league looks unlikely, but the club will certainly be keen to lock down a top three spot and secure European qualification.
Because of this, Arsenal would be missing out on a huge opportunity if they didn’t retain their interest in Walsh. In the closing stages of last year, Renee Slegers was stuck with defensive midfield options after Kim Little and Lia Walti were sidelined with injuries. This meant that Cooney-Cross and Caldentey were forced to drop deep, and while it worked, this was far from desirable going forward.
Playing Caldentey deep in midfield is a decent option, but it also means he can’t work his magic further up the pitch. Little and Walti are known to pick up injuries, so Walsh’s arrival could significantly strengthen the Gunners’ midfield.
If Barcelona are adamant that he is not for sale, Arsenal may have to hedge their bets and wait until the summer to snap up Walsh on a free. But with one of the world’s best defensive midfielders walking the world as a free agent, they could just be out of reach if they don’t act now.
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