Beth Mead Leaves Arsenal After Nine Years, Close to Manchester City Move

Beth Mead will leave Arsenal at the end of the season when her contract expires, with the Guardian saying she is close to agreeing a move to Manchester City after nine years at the club.

“Arsenal forward Beth Mead will leave the club at the end of the season when her contract expires”

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The Guardian reports Mead has made 265 appearances and scored 86 goals for Arsenal since joining from Sunderland, and it notes she turned 31 on Saturday.

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Arsenal’s director of women’s football Clare Wheatley said Mead “will go down in history as one of our best forwards and a legend of the club,” as the club confirmed her departure.

The Guardian also frames City’s interest around their Women’s Champions League campaign, describing City as hoping Mead will bolster their forward options after Khadija “Bunny” Shaw’s departure.

In the same Arsenal announcement, the club says Mead departs with one WSL title, three League Cups, one FIFA Champions Cup and one UEFA Women’s Champions League.

On the pitch, Mariona Caldentey delivered for Arsenal in the Superleague femenina derby against Chelsea, with Mundo Deportivo describing her “golazo” to leave Stamford Bridge “mudo” in a 0-2 win.

Mundo Deportivo says the match at Stamford Bridge drew more than 30 mil espectadores and that Caldentey, “a sus 29 años,” has played all matches this season while adding two goals and three assists.

Arsenal

The same report places the decisive moments around Beth Mead’s involvement in the 55th minute, when Mead finished a collective move with a cross shot “ajustado al palo derecho de Hampton.”

Mundo Deportivo then credits Mead with a “balón perfecto” for Caldentey to score the second goal before the hour, after the 0–1 “enmudeció” Stamford Bridge.

The Guardian’s account of Mead’s Arsenal legacy ties to that kind of impact, noting her clever pass created the only goal for substitute Stina Blackstenius against Barcelona in the Lisbon final.

As Arsenal prepares for departures, the club says Mead’s contract end will come alongside other exits, with Arsenal confirming defender Laia Codina and midfielder Victoria Pelova will also leave at the end of the season.

“- Published Beth Mead said it "breaks her heart" to leave Arsenal after it was announced the forward will depart the club at the end of the season”

BBC

ESPN adds that sources say Manchester City has offered Mead a contract, bettering the length of the offer made to Mead by Arsenal, and it reports Arsenal had confirmed the departures of Codina and Pelova upon contract expiry.

The Guardian says City are understood to hope Mead will bolster their forward options for their Women’s Champions League campaign, with the report also noting City’s leading scorer Khadija “Bunny” Shaw is leaving.

Arsenal’s own statement emphasizes what Mead leaves behind, listing one WSL title, three League Cups, one FIFA Champions Cup and one UEFA Women’s Champions League, while also recalling her 2015 WSL Golden Boot at age 20.

With the season’s end approaching, the Guardian reports Mead’s contract situation after nine years at Arsenal and frames the next step as a move to City, while Arsenal’s announcement keeps the focus on Wheatley’s message that Mead “will always be welcome at Arsenal.”