Chloe Kelly has made a permanent move to Arsenal, the club where her football journey started, after impressing during a loan spell from Manchester City last term.
The 27-year-old forward played a key role in Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League triumph over Barcelona in May and is now set to stay in North London.
Now officially an Arsenal player again, Kelly rejoins her childhood side following the expiration of her contract with Manchester City.
“I’ve always said that Arsenal supporters are the best and to have them on my side, singing my name, means so much to me,” she said.
“I’m excited for more silverware at this special club and to bring more trophies back to North London to celebrate with our supporters.”
The Lionesses star, currently part of England’s Euro 2025 squad, returns to familiar surroundings and has already earned the praise of Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers, who praised Kelly’s contribution during the latter half of last season.
“She played an important role in what we achieved here last season and I know she shares our ambition to compete for more,” Slegers said. “She made a great impact during her time with us.”
Chloe Kelly has signed a permanent deal with Arsenal 🤝 pic.twitter.com/G3GxzKXyV3
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 2, 2025
Kelly’s recent performances helped increase her value, especially as she struggled for minutes earlier in the 2024-25 season at City, managing just one start in the Women’s Super League.
Concerned for her England place and increasingly frustrated, Kelly’s desire to leave Manchester City was well documented during the January transfer window.
Her departure wasn’t without controversy. The London-born forward, who joined City in 2020, voiced her dissatisfaction with how the club handled her exit, stating that she felt they were limiting her options in choosing a new team.
She took to Instagram during that period, writing that she wanted “to be happy again” and didn’t see her future at City beyond the summer.
Despite the difficulties, her move back to Arsenal proved a success, culminating in a standout performance against Barcelona in Lisbon that secured European glory.
In a farewell message posted to social media, Kelly offered a reflection on her time in Manchester: “I want to take this moment to acknowledge the good in my time at City.
“The unwavering support from the fans and the relationships formed with the girls and wider support staff. You’ve helped shape me to become the person I am today, I’ll be forever grateful [to] those people.
“Memories created and lessons learned. All stories should have happy endings, now it’s time to look to the future. Love to all.”
During her time at Manchester City, Kelly featured in 109 matches and netted 31 goals. Her honours include the 2019-20 FA Cup and the 2021-22 League Cup.
