Arsenal are reportedly chasing Melbourne City captain, Steph Catley, ahead of what would be a summer move for the Australian.

With Joe Montemurro at the helm and Cailtlin Foord just arriving, another from down under could be at Arsenal by the summer in what the Herald Sun in Australia calls ‘the growing cast of Aussies in England’.

Considered one of the best-left backs in the world, the 26-year-old Catley has previously worked under Montemurro when he was at Melbourne City.

Catley signed for Seattle Reign in 2018 from the Orlando Pirates before being sent on loan back to Melbourne. In fact, although she first moved to the States in 2014 to sign for the Portland Thorns, who loaned her out to Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, Catley played more games in Australia while owned by teams  in the USA.

Melbourne City are part of the City group who own Manchester City, New York City, Yokohama F. Marinos, Montevideo City Torque, Girona FC, Sichuan Jiuniu FC, and Mumbai City FC as well as a host of other football groups in Japan, Singapore, China and India.

Speaking before the World Cup in France during the summer, Catley said, “I’ve also played in America for the last 6 years. Two years in Portland, two in Orlando, and I am now in my second season with Seattle. I’m very proud of my achievements in football but mostly I’m proud of the way I’ve been able to come back from setbacks and life hurdles and still be able to compete and better myself every day.

“I’ve been injured a lot, in many cases during major tournaments. And I also lost my father suddenly at the end of last year. Within this, football suddenly doesn’t feel as important, but one thing I’ve learnt is that the people, the unity and the family that you develop with people within football are the most important part of all of it. And for those relationships, I’m forever grateful.”

Knee injuries have been a problem recently which will be certainly something to keep an eye on should the deal go through.

“My career has been a steady incline from the day that I started.” she added. “When I began, I just loved playing. I was the only girl in a boy’s team for six years. I loved the challenge, I loved proving people wrong, I loved winning but mostly I loved getting better. Mum would often threaten that I wouldn’t be allowed to train if I was acting up when I was younger, and to me it was the ultimate threat and would put me straight back into line.”