Arsenal Women have made Amanda Ilestedt their first signing of the summer.
The 30-year-old Swedish central defender moves to the Women’s Super League after two years in France with Paris Saint-Germain. Ilestedt previously worked under Arsenal’s head coach, Jonas Eidevall, during an eight-year spell with Rosengård.
Ilestedt, who has 64 caps for Sweden and will be part of their World Cup squad this summer, said: “I’m really excited and happy to be here. My goal is to win titles and this is a great club with great players and fantastic facilities, so I believe this is the right place for me to achieve that. There is a real sense of momentum around this club and the support has been wonderful – I can’t wait to walk out on to the pitch in the Arsenal kit.”
Arsenal finished third in the WSL last season, qualifying for the Champions League in the process. Ilestedt’s arrival will be a boost to the Gunners after defender Rafaelle Souza’s departure.
Eidevall said: “I’m delighted that Amanda has joined us here at Arsenal. She brings extensive international experience and I believe she has a great mix of presence and technical ability, making her an ideal fit for our squad. I enjoyed working with Amanda during our time in Sweden and am looking forward to coaching her here at Arsenal too.”
