Arsenal Women's Latest Coup: Securing Swedish Defender Amanda Ilestedt from Paris Saint-Germain
Arsenal Women secure their first signing of the summer, bringing in experienced Sweden international Amanda Ilestedt from Paris Saint-Germain Head coach Jonas Eidevall, who has previously worked with Ilestedt, sees her as the ideal backup for defender Williamson
Arsenal Women's newest addition for the summer is the skilled defender, Amanda Ilestedt, who joins from French club Paris Saint-Germain after spending two years there.
The Gunners remain short of defensive options after Leah Williamson suffered a long-term knee injury in April and centre-back partner Rafaelle Souza departed the club the following month.
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Content: Amanda Ilestedt, aged 30, is a skilled Swedish national player who has earned 64 international caps. She has been chosen to compete for her country in the upcoming Women's World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
Arsenal's head coach, Jonas Eidevall, expressed his joy at Amanda's arrival, stating, "I am thrilled that Amanda has decided to join our team 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."
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Amanda Ilestedt is international team-mates with Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius
"I am filled with enthusiasm and joy to be here," expressed Ilestedt. "My primary objective is to secure championships, and I firmly believe that this exceptional club, featuring esteemed players and outstanding facilities, presents the ideal setting for me to accomplish my goal.
"The club exudes a genuine sense of progress, and the overwhelming support has been marvelous - I am eagerly anticipating the moment when I step onto the field wearing the Arsenal kit."
Analysis: Ilestedt perfect cover for Williamson
We are Laura Hunter. Given the injury setback of Leah Williamson and the departure of Rafaelle Souza, who used to partner as a regular centre-back, it has become evident that Arsenal must prioritize the acquisition of defensive cover this summer.Signing Amanda Ilestedt for Arsenal, despite her being slightly older than the club's typical summer targets, is a logical move. She possesses the ideal attributes as a defender that align with Arsenal's progressive style of play, as noted by Jonas Eidevall, namely a strong presence and exceptional technical skills. Moreover, her valuable experience will be a valuable asset for Eidevall as he strives to construct a more well-rounded squad following last season's injury crisis. It is worth mentioning that Eidevall has previously collaborated with Ilestedt in Sweden.
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Arsenal's Women's Super League campaign fell significantly short of the title last season, revealing a squad that was lacking in depth. Despite reaching the Champions League semi-finals, their unlucky season highlighted a clear need for stronger backup options.
Eidevall acknowledged this deficiency in May, stating, "We require a substantial transfer window this summer, as both the previous summer and winter windows did not meet our expectations."
In their last three WSL matches, Arsenal conceded five goals, which is more than the total goals they had conceded in their previous eight games combined. Moreover, with Williamson expected to be out until December, the team is facing a shortage of defensive options. Therefore, this signing is crucial and a clever move.
