Arseblog News understands that Arsenal Women are closing in on a deal that would take Manchester United striker Alessia Russo to the club on a free transfer with her contract at United expiring at the end of this month.
The England international was subject to a world record bid from the Gunners from United on January transfer deadline day, which United deliberated over before rebuffing.
United, who finished 2nd in the WSL last season, have been trying to persuade the 24-year-old centre-forward to commit her future to the club and, according to our information, United have shown willingness to match her salary demands.
However, Arsenal held the upper hand and our understanding is that a deal is close. Russo joins up with England on 19 June for their pre World Cup training camp.
Arsenal tried to sign Russo when she left college in the US in September 2020 but the striker signed for United instead on that occasion. She has since become a key player for Marc Skinner’s team, scoring 10 WSL goals last season as United managed their highest ever league finish.
But it looks as though a deal is close and Arseblog News understands that the club have also had a bid for another big player from a major European club rejected, which has yet to get into the press. We’ll report more on that when we can.
Absolutely huge!
Awesome, getting a decent player from ManUre! Feels a bit like when RVP went to ManUre, but this time it’s happening to them!!! Thankfully I doubt Russo is a nump like RVP was when he left!!
😂😂 – no it doesn’t!!!
What does this mean for Viv’s future at the club? Her contract ends next year right?
My guess is it is more likely that she will want to stay because signings like this demonstrate the ambition of the club. Russo is an out and out striker which is what we need to give Stina a hand whereas Viv is a player who enjoys popping up all over the place and grabbing goals into the bargain!
Does this mean Viv is no longer going to play as a striker?
She was never going to, really. Just not what Jonas wants in a 9. Stina and Russo much more suited to his style.
Jonas overthinking? Viv has 74 goals in 89 games. I call that a pure 9.
You don’t have to play 9 to score! Look at Meado’s record from the wing although ironically her shirt has a “9” on it! 🙂
Yes, Eidevall overthinking.
Oh please. You’re on a stupid loop. We get it, you hate Jonas. YAWWWWWWWNNNNN
I see. But I liked Maanum’s performances as a 10 last season. Viv coming back will become a problem for Maanum, no?
As a Miedema fan, IMO she should leave Arsenal and return to her best position with another team–center forward. She has been a PROLIFIC goal scorer in her career, so this whole thing with Eidevall not wanting her at CF because she doesn’t fit his style is beyond crazy, to me. She’s never going to play anything but CF for the Dutch NT, and for good reason. If Arsenal were to sign Russo–who I think is a good player but also somewhat overrated, what is Eidevall going to do: Sit Stina and Miedema in favor of Russo and Maanum? Rotate… Read more »
How can you be following this team and not see the need for serious depth within the squad? This squad needs 18 – 20 players that can start if we want to compete deep in these competitions. Also, why are you thinking that Viv will be back in form in the near future? ACL’s can take up to 18 months to recover from before the player is back into form. QUALITY SQUAD DEPTH is the most important strategy for top WSL teams.
Common sense at last! Kazoo, do you think Chelsea have these sort of discussions? No they don’t! They grab every good player they can even if it is just to stop other clubs having them. That also means when half of their squad is unavailable they still have an equally good team on the pitch which is why thay have been so successful while we yet again rue what might have been if we had not had such and such injured. Viv’s statistics speak for themselves but she never has and never will be a centre forward. It’s just how… Read more »
On a slightly different topic your point about buying up all the best players whether they use them or not is exactly what manshity (men) have just done to such great affect. People say lm “sour grapes” when l say that but its true. 99% of players will go to the club offering the most money regardless of the club’s integrity !!
Exactly. Great points, PST and TTIreland.
Also any top player would take competition for a place + a couple of winner’s medals at the end of the season over starting every game and *no* medals at the end of the season.
Fingers crossed! 🤞 Would be huge and an excellent contribution to the Arsenal team. Blackstenius needs another player in that position, she played SO many minutes for us this season (and did it well!).
That would be magnificent !!
Fingers crossed we get this one over the line, this time.
I wonder why she would sign for manure when Arsenal came calling the first time round though ? 🤔
Probably more chance of game time with them back then (and maybe as a supporter that influenced things?)
Arsenal weren’t really in a position to do it, were watching their pennies due to the pandemic.
Wow
I’m curious to know why doesn’t she want to remain at man united ?
In the women’s game I think Arsenal still edge it in the kudos stakes. Despite United beating us twice in the league (and we would have been second if they hadn’t!) we still had a strong showing in the league, won the league cup against a good Chelsea side, and if we hadn’t gifted two goals to Wolfsburg would have made the CL final and all of that with half of the squad missing through injury!
I also wonder if behind the scenes United are as “clubby” as Arsenal if that makes sense?
Despite finishing second, I don’t think Utd are quite seen as one of the prestige teams in women’s football yet. Our women’s team are selling out games at the men’s stadium, have top training facilities (which are shared with the men) and are able pay some of the highest wages in the women’s game. Utd can’t offer those things, Arsenal still feels like a bigger stage in the women’s game. Also, we’re in London/south east, which is bigger draw than you’d imagine (plus Russo’s from Kent, which despite being Utd heartland, is actually closer to us!).
With the news about Gareth Taylor staying put at City, it’s entertaining to see both sides of manchester struggling to come to terms with things this morning.
He’s staying? City really are just happy being mediocre!
To be fair to City they did lose the core of their team all at once and Taylor really turned them round at the end of the season. They had the chance to knock us out of the final CL qualifying spot and very nearly achieved it!
To be less fair to Taylor, there is of course the question why so many players left (and aren’t doing too badly at their new clubs).
He was arguably better tactically this season than the last, I guess. But next season will be the third time in a row under Taylor that they don’t reach group stages in UWCL. Feels ambitionless to give him a new contract to me.
I think they will get to the CL honestly. It was United that punched above their weight this season helped by City being hopeless at the start of the season and Arsenal having only half of their players available!
Would you rather play for City if you were offered Barcelona, Lyon, the top German teams or indeed retirement? Nothing to do with the manager!
Haha, well said.
Thanks for the info, Tim.
Regarding the other big player from a European club, is it the case that the deal is off, or that the terms aren’t acceptable?
Or the player wants to come but the club doesn’t want to sell?
I hope the big player we’re interested in is a defender!
If this transfer was to happy what a fantastic signing playing with Beth Mead and Viv and the rest of the Arsenal Ladies what a team that would be
Apparently Washington Spirit submitted a bid and her representatives were at Washington Spirit match.
So I just don’t know how true is that she’s close to joining us.
what salary is Russo demanding
i read that Kerr is on $600,000 and P. Harder was on $300,000 at Chelsea ,, can we and are we willing to match such salary
AWFC lead the way with Chelski regarding wages. Viv’s bank balance should confirm.
That would be fantastic news she is an amazing player image her with Viv Beth and all our other stars
I have not really watched Russo except when playing against Arsenal and was not that impressed, all be it a very small data set.
What are her strengths and weaknesses?
Russo’s fairly similar in style to Stina – a pacy, direct centre forward. She presses aggressively, and often goes wide to receive the ball and carries it further toward goal. Good with her back to goal. Holds the ball up well. Great awareness of space. She is strong, wily and difficult to dominate in the box. As a person she seems very confident and relaxed when she is playing but also ferociously competitive. She is clinical, scores in big games, and has a good goals per game ratio. Some people think she is overrated. I don’t think she is near… Read more »
Ooh…Sky Sports understands…
https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1669633809426391040?cxt=HHwWgIC9vdDG3asuAAAA
via Tim’s twitter page.
Stina Blackstenius and Amanda Ilestedt has the same agent. Today he spoke to swedish media sportbladet, he said that Arsenal is a great club and Ilestedt would like to stay at the top level in Europe, and he thinks arsenal is up there. I think Arsenal are favourites to sign her if they want to. As a swede I would love to see her at Arsenal. Especially when Williamson comes back I think they have the potential to be one of the best centerback-pair in the womens game. Rafa and Leah was fantastic but with Ilestedt you will get almost… Read more »
Hi, Swedish gunner. I saw that Ilestedt had left PSG and my eyes lit up! I recognised the name but I don’t know much about her other than that she is in the Sweden squad, but because PSG are a top club and play in quite a physical way, it seemed like it might be a good fit for us. So thanks for the extra information. Hanna Lundkvist would be an exciting signing, I agree. I read that she hasn’t racked up enough points under British immigration rules to be allowed to come into the WSL, though there are special… Read more »
Sorry, got that wrong. The criterion is not exceptional talent, it’s “proven ability”. I think that must be satisfied since she plays for Atletico Madrid.
Yes, the physical side of the game is her biggest strength. You could see that Sweden missed her in April against Denmark and Norway because she gives the team a much better stability. I think that is what Arsenal needs to, someone who cleans up in the defence. In Sweden everybody talking about Rolfö, Asllani, Blackstenius but to me Ilestedt is one of our most important players. Every team need that solid spot in the backline and Ilestedt is that kind of player. She picked up a footinjury in february but I saw her last match with PSG and she… Read more »
Fascinating! Thanks. Your description of Ilestedt’s personality makes her sound like Jen Beattie! Which is good. Also her playing style has some similarities eg excellent header, dominates the box.
I am now desperate for Lundkvist to choose us. Precocious talent and versatility is a wonderful combination.
Russo is a good player, I’m sure she’ll help–but fans, and apparently Eidevall as well, seem to think she’s another Kerr. That’s not the case. I’m not criticizing the move or the player, but I am bemused at fans who seem to think she’s on a par with, say, Macario or Kerr or Sophia Smith in the U.S.
When will Arsenal Ladies sign Russo I thought it would have been done by now.
Irish Times reports that this signing is complete.