Leah Williamson and Beth Mead lead tributes to…

Leah Williamson and Beth Mead lead tributes to 'legendary' Jordan Nobbs after Arsenal exit

A host of Arsenal stars have paid emotional tributes to teammate Jordan Nobbs following her surprise switch to Aston Villa.

Nobbs departs for the West Midlands after 12 years at Arsenal, having joined the Gunners from Sunderland in 2010. In that time, the midfielder has scored 81 goals in 270 appearances, winning three WSL titles, four FA Cups and five League Cups.

Nobbs has also claimed a plethora of individual accolades, having been named FA Player of the Year in 2016 and the FA Players' Player of the Year in 2017. However, the England international has struggled for regular minutes under Jonas Eidevall and, after missing out on the Olympics, World Cup and Euros due to injury in recent years, she is thought to have been keen to secure regular game time to boost her chances of making this summer's World Cup in Australia.

After her permanent move to the Poundland Bescot Stadium was confirmed, a number of Nobbs' Arsenal teammates took to social media to say their goodbyes and wish her well at her new club. Among those teammates was England captain Leah Williamson, who shared a collection of photos of herself and Nobbs with the touching caption: "I don’t really remember Arsenal before you.

"You gave absolutely everything you had to the club and I hope that love and appreciation is given back to you today. Heart on your sleeve until the end & a legacy I would be proud to leave even half of behind! Once a Gooner..."

Fellow Lioness Beth Mead also shared a sweet post on Twitter, writing: "That’s my bestie, no one will ever be as great as you here, you’ve done so much for this club, this team and most of all me.

"I’m going to miss you like crazy but no doubt you’ll smash it up at Villa. They are lucky to have you. Love you my Jordy."

Full-back Katie McCabe wrote: "It’s been a privilege to be your teammate for the last seven years. You’ve given your all to this club and should be proud of the legacy you leave behind. My mate, proper gooner can’t wait to see you shine."

Meanwhile a host of other Arsenal stars, including winger Caitlin Foord and midfielder Lia Walti, described Nobbs as a "legend".

Nobbs herself penned an emotional open letter to Arsenal supporters, in which she wrote: "I said my goodbyes to my teammates on Tuesday and I cried from the second I walked in, to the second I left, because this is my home. It’s everything I’ve known for the past 12 years and now I’m having to say goodbye. I know it’s not really goodbye, but this part of my life is over now and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

"I’m leaving the love of my life behind and that’s something really quite scary for me. But I’ve got no regrets in my mind because it’s been the perfect fairytale and I’ve achieved everything I ever wanted to and a whole lot more."

Nobbs joins an Aston Villa side that is currently seventh in the Women's Super League and will link up with England teammate Rachel Daly, who is currently the league's joint top-scorer.

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