Arsenal Women defender Anna Patten has left the club and joined Aston Villa on a permanent contract. Patten is a lifelong Arsenal fan who saw the men’s team at Highbury at the age of six and came through the Gunners academy.
Patten left for college in the US in 2017 but returned to the club in January 2020. The 24-year-old joined Aston Villa on a loan deal in January 2022 but found her initial spell cut short by glandular fever, she rejoined Carla Ward’s squad for the 2022-23 campaign. She now joins them on a permanent deal.
A statement on Arsenal.com read, “Everybody at the club would like to thank Anna for her efforts during her time with Arsenal. We wish her well for this next chapter and look forward to welcoming her back to Meadow Park and Emirates Stadium soon.”
Once a Gooner, always a Gooner.
Thank you for everything, @pattenanna.
Wishing you all the best for the future ❤️
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) July 11, 2023
Well that sucks. But good luck to her… except when Villa plays us!
A shame, but she really needs the regular playing time. Presumably she’ll be playing alongside Lucy Parker, which should be interesting. Incidentally, if anyone wants to check what kind of season Anna had as a CB at Villa, pop over to fbref.com and compare her per-90 stats with Maya Le Tissier.
It would have been lovely for Anna to have stayed a Gooner but as with Mana (another Joe signing) she doesn’t quite fit the Jonas Ball template.
Not sure an Academy graduate returning to her roots after finishing college in the States counts as one of Joe’s signings but unfortunately opportunities with us were difficult to come by when she was at an age when regular matches were important for development. Carla Ward is a good boss and she has already transformed Villa from an embarrassment of a team that were lucky to stay in WSL to a decent outfit that are knocking on the door of European qualification so good luck Anna, sorry you have to go but, like Jordan, it is understandable.
As Joe was manager at the time Anna (and Lotte) signed professional contracts post US college graduation I just assumed them as “his” signings or at least he was asked first!!
Let’s hope we can sign a central defender who is even better than her. Otherwise, we may regret it come the end of the season.
I have faith in Lotte…
Believe they are looking to add another defender.
Totally unrelated Tim but is Danielle Carter just training with Arsenal to keep fit or…?? Just saw a post on IG of her and Meado doing some fitness exercises.
Dan is at Colney to keep fit with her buddies whilst she looks for a new club.
I sae something and wondered the same
I saw something and wondered the same
Best wishes Anna.
Not unexpected, but still sad to lose her. Best of luck to her (except when she plays against us, obviously!). She’s joining a really exciting side.
Geez, who’s the butthurt thumbs down bandit?!
I think it unlikely this👎troll will reveal themselves…….maybe its Tim drumming-up trade!!!
Joke Tim. Honest🤷
It happens on almost every post. Obviously some (non Arsenal fan) idiot with nothing better to do!