Bay FC have signed Jenna Nighswonger on a permanent deal, ending her 18-month Arsenal spell and handing the Gunners a reported profit.
Jenna Nighswonger’s Arsenal career has come to an end after the defender completed a permanent move to Bay FC, with the Gunners reportedly making a profit on the player despite her limited first-team opportunities in north London.
The United States international leaves after just 18 months at the club, bringing to a close a spell that never developed as hoped under Renée Slegers, while Arsenal are believed to have doubled the fee they originally paid to sign her.
The deal is said to be worth around £150,000.
The United States international joined Arsenal from Gotham FC in January 2025 for a reported fee of around £80,500, or $100,000, as the club sought to add another option at full-back. Despite arriving with an impressive reputation following her success in the NWSL, she struggled to establish herself in Renée Slegers’ plans.
Nighswonger made only six senior appearances for Arsenal, five of them coming in the Women’s Super League, and was part of the club’s 2025 Women’s Champions League-winning squad despite not featuring in the competition.
She was regularly left out of matchday squads and had played only 16 minutes during the first half of the 2025-26 campaign before joining Aston Villa on loan.
Although she made eight appearances during that spell, Villa did not take up the option to sign her permanently.
Rather than questioning the defender’s quality or attitude, Slegers acknowledged the challenge created by the strength of Arsenal’s squad, admitting that selecting only 11 starters and five substitutes meant leaving players out was “a burden I have to carry.”
The defender has now signed a contract running until 2028 as she looks to re-establish herself in the NWSL and strengthen her position with the United States national team.
Welcoming their new signing, Emma Coates said: “Jenna is another great addition to our squad, showing real quality both sides of the ball. Her experience in the NWSL & WSL will add another dimension to our group. I believe she has the character and football intelligence to make a strong impact here and I’m excited to work with her day to day supporting this next chapter in her career.”
Nighswonger added: “I’m really excited to return to the NWSL and begin this next chapter with Bay FC. I have a lot of confidence in what this group can accomplish moving forward, and I’m ready to get to work and help the team compete.”
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