FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Women's Super League - Arsenal v Manchester City - Meadow Park, Borehamwood, Britain - November 5, 2023 Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley
(Reuters) - Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema has signed a three-year contract with Manchester City, the Women's Super League (WSL) club said on Friday, after the league's all-time top scorer left Arsenal at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Miedema, who has netted 80 goals in the WSL, won four trophies with Arsenal during a seven-year stay with the club.
However, she struggled with injuries in the last two seasons following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture in December 2022 that required surgery, forcing her to miss the Women's World Cup last year.
The 27-year-old joins a City side that enjoyed domestic cup wins but have not won the league in eight years, finishing runners-up on five occasions since their only title in 2016.
"The reason I chose City is because they have the same ambitions as me. They want to win the league and titles," Miedema said.
"Looking to the future, I've always said I want to play with best players in the world and I think City have got that.
"I haven't played as much football as I would have wished over the past two years, but I think and hope my best years are still to come."
Miedema, who is also the Netherlands' top scorer with 95 goals in 115 appearances, will be reunited with Dutch teammates Jill Roord and Kerstin Casparij at City.
"She's a top talent that I'm excited to work with as she's a player I've always admired. Viv will be a real asset to the team," head coach Gareth Taylor said.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
