German club Wolfsburg are being heavily linked with a move for Arsenal midfielder Jill Roord. The report comes from Andreas Pahlmann and Jasmina Schweimler at German site Sportbuzzer– Jasmina is very well sourced at Wolfsburg and has broken lots of transfer news involving the club- including Arsenal midfielder Dominique Janssen’s move to Germany from Arsenal in 2019.
Arsenal have been in contract negotiations with Roord during this season with her deal set to expire in 2022. The 24-year old Dutch midfielder joined the Gunners from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2019 and has scored ten goals this season- including three hat-tricks.
Much like Arsenal, Wolfsburg have a heavy Dutch contingent at the club with Dominique Janssen and Shanice van de Sanden there already and Joelle Smits and Lyn Wilms set to join this summer as well.
Ralf Kellermann, sporting director of Wolfsburg, did not comment on the report when asked by Sportbuzzer, saying, “We will not comment on transfer rumours in the week before the important game against Bayern.”
Meanwhile, reports also surfaced in Switzerland over the weekend suggesting that Malin Gut may return to Grasshopper Zurich this summer having failed to settle in London since joining Arsenal last summer. The 21-year old is seen as very much a future signing for the Gunners. Personally, I can’t comment on the legitimacy of these rumours just at the moment.
I was just trying to think positively and move forward, Jill Roord was swapped for Ingrid Engen, I don’t think that’s a bad idea.
Would love that but Engen is out of contract so probably wouldn’t be part of a swap. She says she is considering England but I wouldn’t be surprised if Chelsea get her, they don’t need her but I think they are willing to go into “stockpiling” mode to stop other clubs from getting players at this point.
Typical Chelsea. Crazy.
🙁 If you just look at their bench today against Sp*rs – so many quality players. They’re becoming the UK’s Olympique Lyon.
It’s only rumour but…. If the current midfield and Viv are staying we could live without Jill. Statistically she may have 10 goals but generally Kim, Jordan and DvD bang in more than they have this season perhaps because Jill has been taking the opportunities the others would have had. Overall, I have not been that impressed by Jill since she arrived and I’m wondering if the Dutch bubble is bursting with Spain about to usurp them in European rankings. As for Malin, she should have been one for the future but if she doesn’t feel comfortable in London and… Read more »
The basic problem is that Arsenal have too many quality midfielders—Little, DvD, Nobbs, Roord, Walti. They all have enough qualities to start, but can’t cuz numbers. Monte is a big fan of Roord–he brought her in–and with him leaving, the crowd at midfield and the Dutch group at Wolfsburg, this sounds like a legit transfer possibility.
No!!
No. Just…no. Please, no. And that applies to Malin as well.
Am I correct in that the ladies team has not named a successor head coach yet? Is that contributing to player retention uncertainty?
They’re currently interviewing candidates. As far as I know there is one other key contract basically done but they are just waiting on the new coach before 100% confirming. There are a few players leaving this summer but not really contingent on the new coach, mixture of contract expiry, homesickness and a chance to move onto a new challenge which I think would’ve happened anyway.
Thanks Tim!
The one other key contract is Leah Williamson’, I guess?
Is this related to the Arsenal women’s (lack of) funding? She’s been one of the star performers of the women’s team.
No, she was offered a new deal at Arsenal. IMO it just hasn’t really worked, I think she’s a good player but it’s not a great fit at Arsenal. She knows the new Wolfsburg coach well and they are going very Dutch this summer! I think this move is in everyone’s interests, really.
Tim, is there a reason that we haven’t gone USA in our lineup? Seems to be the best crop of players in the world but 0 on the roster.
Malin is very young & should try to stick it another season in which she may be able to settle – she’s a VG player & an Arsenal “fit” for sure.
I really like Jill Roord & won’t be happy if she leaves! Please don’t go Jill 🙂
The pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions won’t have helped any of the players feeling homesick. I just hope if Malin leaves she will return to Arsenal in the future when she’s maybe more prepared for a move abroad.
Yes I think this is the key here, she won’t have been able to go home or have her family come over and at 20 that has to be tough. I’m told she had an offer from Germany but didn’t even want to take that. She’ll go back to being a part time player in Switzerland so you know it’s very much a personal decision.
That is the whole story right there. If Malin is willing to take such a retrograde step potentially stiffling her international career along with likely fewer rewards you know she is not going to be able to give her best. Sorry it hasn’t worked out for her but she is still very young and has time on her side serious injury permitting. Reading Katie’s piece on the Arsenal website where she found herself a little overawed on arrival at Arsenal, and rather than battle on chose to take a loan year in Scotland. A more confident and proficient player returned… Read more »
Agreed. Also, going by interviews, Roord seems like someone very much into the cultural & creative aspects of living in somewhere like London offers. With those aspect physically unavailable at the moment, the option to of a fresh challenge, with a familiar coach, at arguably a higher level, seems a bit of a no brainer for her.
Arteta will regret this
If Roord goes I’m fine with that, but, Malin Gut is another matter apart from being an ideal replacement for Kim Little she is incredibly talented. Gut is a gem we can ill afford to lose, and Kim is not getting any younger.
Considering Kim’s majestic & tireless performance versus Everton, she can play on for many more years……..
Gut may or may not be a “gem,” but I’m wondering what leads you to that conclusion, given that she played very little this year and, as I recall, struggled in some games in which she did, albeit against strong competition.
Joy that such a key player as Katie (my POTS) has committed to the club in spite of all the uncertainty in the background. Jill leaving? She’s a talented footballer no doubt but I always had the feeling that Joe didn’t know how best to deploy her to the team’s best advantage. Ideally, if she does go to Wolfsburg perhaps a swap deal could bring back Dom Jannsen🤞 Imo it would be sad to lose Malin, seemingly not helped by the ramifications of the pandemic, but maybe more attention could be devoted to the homegrown talent (Ruby Mace?) rather than… Read more »
Let’s hope the new coach promotes and develops talent like Ruby when she returns from her loan. It’s all very well holding young players ‘for the future’ but someone like her has shown she can cut it in the WSL and with no disrespect to the lower half of the table teams, and those we encounter in the domestic cup games, there are opportunities at Arsenal to give the players some time on the pitch and not just the subs’ bench to give other players a well earned rest from time to time.
In the beginning of the season we saw what she is capable of. Roord is a top player. It seems that Joe used her more as a tool to help others in build-up, which is not faire.
I’m sad if Malin’s going to leave but moving to a new country at a young age can be difficult. We must just wish her well; perhaps a time will come when we can welcome her back. I’d also want to thank Jill for what she’s done at Arsenal, but maybe there would have been limited potential for further progress. I’ve just been catching up on highlights from Germany’s comprehensive destruction of the Matildas. Lydia Williams did pretty well considering she let in five goals! And watch out for Jule Brand who was making her debut for Germany: a goal… Read more »
Would love to see us sign Patricia Guijarro from Barcelona.