A move to Bay FC for Jenna Nighswonger would bring the curtain down on an Arsenal transfer that never quite delivered what either side had hoped.
Jenna Nighswonger looks set to leave Arsenal after ESPN reported that Bay FC will pay around $200,000 (£150k) to bring the defender back to the NWSL.
Arsenal reportedly paid around $100,000 to sign her from Gotham FC in January 2025.
The move never truly worked out. It also raises questions about whether there was sufficient discussion between the recruitment department and the coaching staff over how Nighswonger would be used.
Her arrival was set in motion while Jonas Eidevall was still manager, but his departure and replacement by Renée Slegers appears to have had a significant impact on her expected role.
Looking back, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that Nighswonger has lost 18 months of her career in England. Opportunities with Arsenal were limited, while her loan spell at Aston Villa ultimately ended with a return to north London rather than a permanent breakthrough.
Her time at the club sits alongside that of Kathrine Kuhl, Gio Garbelini and Rosa Kafaji, players whose moves to Arsenal ultimately failed to deliver the hoped-for outcome.
Those cases suggest there has not always been complete alignment between recruitment and the coaching staff when identifying players capable of making an impact.
Hopefully, Nighswonger has at least benefited personally from living in England and experiencing a different culture, both on and off the pitch.
Nighswonger’s expected departure leaves Arsenal with 31 players on professional contracts, seven of whom have just signed their first senior deals after progressing through the academy.
It seems likely that most of those seven will either head out on loan or leave permanently, with Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang appearing the most likely exceptions.
There are still areas of the squad that Arsenal may look to strengthen before the window closes, particularly at left-sided centre-back.
The club could also look ahead to next summer by adding a left-back, a winger or a central midfielder if the right opportunity presents itself.
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