Arsenal's WSL rivals show interest in Miedema as top goalscorer announces exit

Manchester City are showing legitimate interest in procuring the talents of striker Vivianne Miedema after the Women's Super League's top-goalscorer announced her impending exit from Arsenal in the summer.

Miedema, 27, confirmed on Monday that she would departing Arsenal at the end of the current WSL season. The two-time Golden Boot winner signed a new two-year deal in May 2022 as speculation swirled around her future and that deal is set to expire this June.

The Netherlands international's goal-scoring record in England is second-to-none. Indeed, in 172 appearances for the club, Miedema has racked up 125 goals and 50 assists, along with two Golden Boot awards and the WSL title in the 2018/19 season.

An ACL injury in December 2022 has severely hampered Miedema's time with the Gunners, with the road to full recovery routinely impeded by smaller injuries and setbacks. Despite making her long anticipated return to the competitive fold in October, Miedema has not made another appearance this term since February after undergoing minor knee surgery.

Even so, Miedema's free agent status should turn plenty of heads given the striker's pedigree. And one such club are Arsenal's WSL rivals Manchester City, according to Sky Sports.

City have embarked on a remarkable season under manager Gareth Taylor as they continue their bid to end their barren WSL title run. A dramatic 3-2 loss to the Gunners on the weekend meant that a title race that was deemed to be theirs was only thrust back into the hands of defending champions Chelsea.

Much of the conversation focussed on City's defeat to Arsenal focussed on the lack of clinical firepower possessed by City in the wake of Khadija Shaw's injury. Recruiting the likes of Miedema would be a seismic move for City and testament to the ambition the club have to disrupt the Chelsea's current hegemony.

City signed fellow Netherlands international Jill Roord last summer in their only business during the summer transfer window, and the midfielder proved to be an adept piece of business until suffering an ACL injury midway through the term. Another compatriot of Miedema's is also at the club in Kerstin Casparij.

While City have reportedly expressed interest in speaking to Miedema about a future at the club, no contact has officially been made as free agents are not permitted to speak to outside clubs until they've entered the final month of their contract.