Thursday, March 28, 2024

Rafaelle set to leave Arsenal

Arsenal defender Rafaelle is set to leave the club this summer with Orlando Pride understood to be her most likely destination, Arseblog News understands. The Brazilian defender joined the club last January after a five year spell in China. Our understanding is that a deal is not yet agreed but close.

Rafa has quickly become a mainstay of the squad and incredibly popular with fans for her performances on the left side of Arsenal’s defence. She was a key part of the team that won the Conti Cup this season, scoring in the final against Chelsea.

Rafa is among the strongest dribblers in the league and one of the most aerially dominant defenders in the league. The 31-year-old also captained her country to Copa America glory in the summer of 2022.

It is understood that the player was not unhappy at Arsenal but the pull of Orlando was too much to resist- Orlando is a very popular destination for Brazilians.

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Aran

What the actual fuck

Heavenly Chapecoense

A new contract with improved terms changes minds.

Ayo

My thoughts exactly.

Fun Gunner

They’re not mutually exclusive. Big money to go somewhere she has always fancied going at some stage? No-brainer for her.

jasonissimo

Orlando is a very popular destination for Brazilians.

Indeed.

chig

Orlando is only on the map because of Disney World. Most of Florida is hot and humid swamp with maybe Miami being the only notable place to visit. The state government has some pretty intolerant and archaic laws as well when compared to the rest of the large population states in the US

Little Cubby

There is far more to Florida than Disney ! Its a very beautiful state

Michael

Really sad news, obviously we wish her luck for the future but I wonder what state this leaves our defense in. She was our best defender for very long stretches of the season and we don’t have any left footed center backs . The recruitment will have to be good to come up with an adequate replacement. With leah out until at least the end of the year and a very short preseason I’m not sure if any new signings will have time to acclimate.

Matt

No doubt we’re losing an excellent player but what an opportunity this could be for Anna Patten. I wonder if there’s a possibility of her and Wubben-Moy being our starting centre-backs next season. Let’s wait and see.

Michael

Sorry, I only know Anna Patten loosely because I started following the clib this season, is she left footed?

Matt

I don’t know for sure I’m afraid but I don’t think so. She’s been on loan at Aston Villa for the last season and a half though so I’d guess she’s either going to be brought back into the fold now or let go. She’s deputised at right -back for us before but Jonas sees her as a centre-back so her partnering Wubben-Moy next season could be an exciting possibility.

Xuan

That would be a shame since she is also a gooner

Karen

Why would she? She gets to play every week, and villa are a rising team with an excellent season.

Ayo

No, she’s not.

Bertieme

That’s a real blow. Going to be difficult to replace. Plus, she has had an outstanding season.

Carlos

NOOOOO!!! WTF. This is the last bit of news I expected. She does have two national teammates in Orlando (Marta and Adriana) but still did not expect her to leave Arsenal. She’s so valuable, this is a big blow.

@jbrusty

Don’t like this one f*cking bit

Jimboy

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

Bill Hall

Damn, she will not be easy to replace. Also any news on Viv?

Silentstan

A big bliw

Solo

She just signed last year, what kind of contract did Arsenal give her? Earn as you play? If she was on a longer contract we would have just said no, she is not leaving. This is irritating.

MartynJ

If she wants to go, not sure that saying “No, stay and play” would really help matters.

Chapeau

That’s how women football works. They don’t sign long contracts like the men. Big big blow this is.

Karen

It’s messed up. We have to break in 2 world class CBs and have everything working and no pre-season, ready for the 1st round wcl play offs. This is terrible for arsenal. I even feel disappointed in the player. She couldn’t wait til Jan??

jasonissimo

Is Arsenal getting a fee? If so, how much is it?

KoalaGooner

I’ve heard that Orlando have $350,000 in unused allocation fees, so the fee would get would hopefully be big one

MartynJ

…on the other hand, luring a CB to Arsenal with the promise of a possible regular starting place rather than being a squad player (with LW due back in the New Year) might actually allow for more options in the transfer market.

Ricky

It will be interesting to see if Arsenal can find another good left-footed centre back as her replacement.

timorous me

A real Mickey Mouse decision, if you ask me.

timorous me

Oh yeah, I was just referring to the whole Orlando part of it all (Disney) 😉

She was great for us but it’s certainly understandable on a personal level.

Gunner H

Not at all good news, not at all – Rafa is an absolutely first class defender, very strong, skilful and a brilliant tackler; irreplaceable really.

Time to recall Anna Patten I reckon.

chig

Have to sign a world class defender this summer if this is true. Needed to sign a lot of players before this news so this transfer window becomes even more crucial

Leon

I keep an eye on the results but must admit I don’t know much about the players – from the comments on here this sounds like a blow 😕

Little Cubby

Oh great !! Thanks Raffa

Peter Story Teller

Is it April 1st again already!
You couldn’t make it up!
Sounds like Orlando is a place for retiring Brazilians!
I like Anna Patten but she ain’t left footed nor is she at the level we have seen from Rafa this season.

Goonersince55

Very sorry that she was only with us for a season and a half. However, she absolutely gave her all while here (and wouldn’t have won the Conti Cup without her). Thank you Rafa and all the best for the future.

Winterburn Wanderers

Thought she was a candidate for POTM at home to Wolfsburg, complete shutdown defender. Glad to have seen her in action. Wish her the best with the move.

Gunner H

She’s been POTM on quite a few matches.

Fun Gunner

Well this has put a crimp in my day.
Good luck to Rafa, she’s been great and given 100% in every game. But her timing is terrible for us. And as for being best mates with Leah, loving London and feeling loved, what happened to that? I suspect there is a personal reason that we are not privy to. (Nor should we be.)
So that’s *four* top-class players to get this summer, then…

Gunnerboreus

Oh no! She’s fabulous

Sgt_Gus

Has there been any talk of picking up Harder-Eriksson this summer? Both are on outgoing contracts and love London. I’d consider that a coup.

Karen

Tim thank you for removing my comment about Rafaelle’s departure i had pre ictal irritability/ agression, i dont recognise it as such at the timd (I’m an epileptic) . when I remembered it and came to delete it because I was ashamed, you had already done it. I’m very grateful. It was a very disability friendly thing to do

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