Last December, the 27-year-old was stretchered off during the clash against Lyon, and has been sidelined since then.

The setback saw the Arsenal Women player to miss the World Cup in the summer where the Netherlands were knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Spain.

Oranje suffered a defeat against Belgium in the Nations League earlier this month, and then bounced back with a 2-1 win over England in the same tournament.

Miedema, writing in her column for AD, says the result against England came ‘at the right time’. She has also opened up about her recovery and rehabilitation in the last few months.

“After months of rehabilitation after my serious knee injury, I am now training with the selection at Arsenal again. On Friday, I can really do everything again. That is of course very nice after all the blood, sweat and tears of the past period,” she said.

“But somehow, it’s also scary. How will my knee hold up? How will things go during the matches? That is exciting. I will first start playing for Arsenal’s second team to gain some rhythm.”

The positive update about the attacker will certainly please Arsenal Women manager Jonas Eidevall. Miedema, for her part, wants to be cautious as she tries everything to avoid another setback.

“I kept in very good contact with national coach Andries Jonker during my injury. Maybe I’ll be in the selection again, but it is too early to decide on that now. In the last weeks of such a difficult recovery, things can go either way. In any case, I don’t want to take any risks after all these months of hard work. I want to be at my best before I start again,” Miedema explained.

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That will hopefully change going forward, but, for now, the most expensive player of all time remains Keira Walsh, whose transfer from Manchester City to Barcelona cost the Spanish club €470k.

Over at Arsenal Women, their most expensive transfer was Lina Hurtig’s purchase in 2022 for €136k, but that has now been smashed right out of the park if Aftonbladet are to be believed.

The Swedish newspaper provide a bit of information regarding the transfer of Kyra Cooney-Cross from Hammarby to Arsenal Women, and reveal the fee actually makes her ‘one of the world’s most expensive’ players of all time.

They reveal the amount is more than SEK 3.8m, which equates to €320k, making her more expensive that Lindsey Horan, who swapped Portland Thorns for Lyon against a reported fee of €300k.

This means it would be the third biggest transfer in Women’s association football after the aforementioned Keira Walsh and Jill Roord, whom Manchester City paid upwards of €350k for.

Aftonbladet explain the Australian midfielder is leaving for Arsenal Women ‘for a record sum’, and while previous reports suggested the fee could be of SEK 2m, ‘several independent sources’ have told the Swedish paper the transfer sum is ‘just over SEK 3.8m’.

This fee is split in two different payments, with Arsenal Women forking out €250k up front, with Hammarby also entitled to an additional €100k.

This would suggest that it could reach €350k, which is actually just over SEK 4.1m, but it all depends on whether that extra €100k is fully achievable.

Either way, Arsenal Women have paid a lot of money for Cooney-Cross, and will be hoping it was all worth it down the line.

The post ‘One of world’s most expensive’ – Sources reveal transfer fee for big Arsenal Women deal appeared first on Sport Witness.

Outlet Fotbollskanalen today features a story claiming the Spanish club have made ‘several offers’ to get the 26-year-old signed.

It’s claimed that during the World Cup in Australia, Björn’s performances for Sweden attracted the interest from several European clubs.

Now even though Everton are said to be ‘open’ to selling the star, as she didn’t even take part in pre-season training, they want a replacement before letting her go.

What makes the situation more complicated is that the transfer window closes on Wednesday, and Real Madrid are now struggling to get the transfer done in time.

Fotbollskanalen writes that Everton manager Brian Sörensen is ‘putting an end’ to this possible move, while the Spanish club still have the ‘hope’ of getting that done.

Something that attracts Björn to Madrid is the fact they’re offering her a huge contract, which, according to the report, could make her the best paid defender in the world.

Her deal with Everton expires next summer, so there’s also the chance of a free move in 2024.

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Why you tweeting this? Nobody is even bothered. Just stick to the proper football. Can’t you have a separate account for this? This isn’t why I follow you.

We all sailed past a lot of that last summer, as England won the Euros. This summer, if we can call it that, has pushed things further forward.

There were excuses made before the World Cup from some who follow the women’s game regularly. Worry that early kick-offs would struggle to capture the imagination of an English audience and similar across Europe.

Nervousness that if the tournament in Australia and New Zealand wasn’t a success, the achievement of last year would be left far behind and the step forward that had been taken would be reversed.

Concerns which have been cast aside.

The quality and drama in the knock-out stages has been a show, and the women involved are becoming bigger stars than was beyond my imagination as a little girl growing up in the 80s.

But the “nobody cares” group is somewhat evolving. In reality, for many it was never that they didn’t care, they very much did, they just didn’t want to see women’s football covered… or to be confronted with the potential success of it.

Not caring has turned into something of an art form.

Let us take Ross Clarke of The Telegraph. He works for a newspaper which actually has good coverage of womens’ sport, although it’s doubtful he’s read any of it.

You see, Ross hasn’t watched any of the World Cup.

Let him explain it himself: ‘What a fantastic achievement for the Lionesses to have reached the final of the women’s football World Cup. I wish I could join in the celebratory atmosphere a little more, but to be honest I haven’t watched a single minute of the tournament. In fact I couldn’t even tell you how the England team reached the final, other than that they defeated Australia in the semi-finals. It is not that I have been trying to avoid women’s football, but I just haven’t managed to summon up the enthusiasm.’

Ross is upset that Keir Starmer called for a Bank Holiday should England win the World Cup. And whilst I would agree with him that the Labour leader is simply using England Women as a political tool, I would also say that Ross is using that as an excuse to wheel out his deep-rooted gripes.

Let’s hear some more from him: ‘From my point of view you might as well give us a day off to celebrate Grimsby Town’s two-nil victory over Salford City on Tuesday.’

Oh Ross. At least you got your real views off your chest, darling, without having to go through the ordeal of actually watching a single minute of the tournament you wrote an article about.

Women’s football exists for many purely in a vacuum of comparison

For some men, such as the aforementioned gent, comparison has to be used to dilute any success or impact.

Win the Euros did you? Ay, enjoy your little selves but it’s not the proper one is it, something-something Fleetwood Town.

Score a good goal did she? You could see it that way, but the goals are too big, need to be little for the women.

Lots of people watched the match? Yeah but look how many watched Only Fools and Horses on that Friday night in 1984.

The comparison overreach can also come from a position of positivity.

Sarina Wiegman has been a phenomenal success since taking the England job, and yet there’s a thirst to validate that by suggesting she could take on the same position in the men’s game.

Following the semi-final victory over Australia, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham was pressed on whether Wiegman could take over from Gareth Southgate.

He rightly said such a question was verging on disrespect to England Women, but his comments suggesting it wasn’t impossible became almost as big a story as the team getting to the final.

Success in women’s football needing to be somehow validated, or otherwise, by links to the men’s game, is a theme.

This eagerness, for some seemingly a necessity, to frame women’s success through the prism of the male game is a repeated phenomenon.

Emma Hayes’ success at Chelsea was quickly met with pondering about whether she should get a job in the men’s game. There’s a clear belief from some that true success with the women opens up a route to the “proper” version of football.

And yet, women’s football is growing so quickly that the excitement lies within.

Commercial opportunities beyond compare will be available to those clubs and countries who invest, and top players will become even bigger stars than they already are.

There may never be the crowds associated with men’s football in the UK. The last time there was, in the 1920s, the women’s game was largely banned for 50 years. Clubs who were members of the FA were instructed to ban women’s football from their facilities, and it’s been a very long road back.

Nobody knows what may have been if that hadn’t happened, and there’s little use twisting the mind to scenarios relating to such.

In the here and now, women’s football is doing well.

On its own merits.

Enjoy the final,

Annie.

The post Football beyond comparison: ‘Nobody cares’ about England Women and the World Cup… apart from when they really do appeared first on Sport Witness.

The idea from the English club is to sign the Brazilian as a replacement for Alessia Russo, who left on a free to join Arsenal.

Well, it appears everything is going well if the latest article from Mundo Deportivo now insists that she is ‘one step away’ from joining Manchester United.

The newspaper reports that Ferreira is currently in Manchester ‘closing the last fringes’ of her move to Old Trafford, having already been seen at the stadium two days ago.

The deal is now in the advanced stages, and it is a matter of hours before her transfer becomes official and she is a Manchester United player.

MD reports that United have ‘tempted’ Geyse into the move to England, with a ‘great offer’ in terms of her contract.

Barcelona were originally not very willing to negotiate a transfer, but that position has changed a month and a half later, with negotiations between the two parties advancing to the point that the attacker had travelled to Manchester to tour the facilities and visit Old Trafford.

She’s now in England finalising her move, with confidence from all sides that she’ll be a Manchester United player sooner rather than later.

The announcement welcoming Geyse to the club is therefore on the way.

The post Player now ‘one step away’ from finalising move to Manchester United Women – Announcement on the way appeared first on Sport Witness.

That’s according to the player’s agent, Claudia Romanelli, who has been speaking to Tuttosport, via Pianetamilan, about her client’s move to Goodison Park this summer.

Piemonte completed a move to Everton at the beginning of July, signing a two-year contract on Merseyside after two successful years in Milan and her most successful season when she managed 14 goals and four assists in 24 games.

It’s the latest big move for the 25-year-old, who has also played for the likes of Sevilla, AS Roma, Real Betis and Fiorentina during her career so far.

The move to England is seen as the most exciting of her career to date, with the women’s game continuing to boom in the country, particularly as England’s Women shine at the World Cup.

The move therefore presents Piemonte with a chance to further boost her career and her profile, something her agent is more than aware of.

“I think Martina’s move to Everton was a source of pride for the entire Italian football movement, it would have been nice if it had been appreciated by everyone,” she said.

“She has shown so much in the last year. There was a lot of work behind this operation, but it was a great satisfaction.

“The reality of Everton is very important, and she wants to do very well. We have a two-year contract; I hope it’s a springboard for her.”

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That’s according to Sport, who say Manchester United Women ‘returns to the charge’ for the player and Barcelona are already assessing the latest offer.

The newspaper reports that United are eyeing Geyse as a replacement for Alessia Russo, who left the club to join Arsenal on a free transfer back in July.

Geyse is the player they have at the top of their list of priorities to do so and have promised her ‘prominence’ in the first team, alongside ‘good financial compensation’.

Barcelona had initially considered her non-transferable and even rejected a couple of offers from Manchester United at the beginning of the summer, despite Geyse’s contract being due to expire in June 2024.

However, United’s latest offer is ‘considerably higher’ than what’s been presented before and that’s led Barca to reconsider their options. They see now see a transfer ‘favourably’, although for now nothing is closed.

Manchester United Women are keen on the deal and are pushing to get it over the line as they seek out a replacement for Russo.

The post Manchester United Women have ‘raised the offer’ for signing – Pushing strongly to sign Barcelona player appeared first on Sport Witness.

Let’s not hide from the obvious reality ahead, if Manchester United allow their disgraced attacker to return to their team then the above will become a thing for some.

In the ground when that chant and similar happens there will be pushback. On social media it will be grasped by those who have spent months making defending him part of their personality.

When I and others of a similar age started following football, there was a requirement to lad-it-up a bit to feel at home. Going to matches even in the 90s wasn’t a sterile experience, and that was fine.

There was no attitude of wanting to arrive and cleanse everything. You adapt to your environment and laugh at jokes you’d otherwise find a little awkward to say the least.

But it was never toxic. As I would adapt my behaviour to fit in with the lads, so would they to make sure things weren’t too far over the line.

Now, with the mass arrival of social media and the anonymity that brings, there’s no need to adapt for many. They can take the worst of their views and purposely exaggerate them to create an impact the vast majority of people would avoid in person.

Social media, perhaps unfortunately, doesn’t exist in a void. What is said there impacts what happens in person and influences young people especially. What would be left unsaid at one time, or at least tempered, is now a route to attention.

The Mason Greenwood situation and the length of time it’s gone on has provided endless material. These things will start on social media and when we see middle aged fathers, even grandfathers, proudly parading their little girls in their profile picture and then going on to defend the Manchester United player with increasingly wild arguments, it is not difficult to imagine the impact on younger generations and their respect of women.

Many of these men would be the first to tell anyone and everyone that if someone harmed even the slightest hair on their little darling they’d gladly ‘do time’.

But then there’s your women, and those other ones.

Should the club welcome him back those people will feel their stances have been somewhat vindicated by Manchester United Football Club. Sure, they could release press statements, talk about rehabilitation and blag about trying to turn the situation into something good, but the message will be clear.

There is no easy way out of this, however, they’ve sure made it as hard as possible for themselves. The drip-drip of leaks about a possible decision have looked plainly like a business trying to create the easiest ground for them to alleviate themselves of moral responsibility – and worse – abdicate the decision to someone else.

That brings us to the latest briefing. Manchester United telling their preferred press personalities that they want to consult players from their women’s team, and will have to wait until their World Cup involvement comes to an end.

That message was indeed parroted as they will have wanted, without any serious criticism from those relaying it. And yet, it was obvious to anyone who engaged their brain what would happen.

The Greenwood Legion would target those women and put the pressure on. In a scenario which started with the recorded abuse of a woman, rounding it up with further abuse of women creates a fitting circle.

Manchester United players at the World Cup were sent messages including such things as ‘we are watching you’.

That particular message struck me because of the threatening nature. So I reached out to the person who sent it, who – and this will stun you – didn’t have the cojones to reply.

Targeting women on the internet is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, and Greenwood’s situation has provided fertile ground for people to do so.

There’s a clue in much of this which points towards the motivation for the Greenwood Legion. Many of those who are the most enthusiastic little soldiers had been questioning him before this all happened.

They’ve taken someone they had niggling doubts about and turned him into Messi-in-waiting. Someone who hasn’t played a match since an appearance against West Ham in January 2022 is presented as an absolute necessity for the coming season.

Greenwood is just a vehicle for them, it’s women they’re really concerned with. And, whilst it’s a difficult topic to address, it would be dishonest to ignore that many of those involved come from countries where women simply don’t have the same respect as in the UK.

Tackling misogyny isn’t very fashionable, tackling misogyny when it could bring accusations of racism is even less attractive. It is understandably scary to fight back against this and we all saw similar during the Qatar World Cup.

We were told we have to respect other cultures, even if those cultures are misogynistic and homophobic. Yet, that desire for respect doesn’t go the other way.

One crowbar which is used to open up that argument is that Greenwood hasn’t been found guilty in a court of law.

Less than 1% of rape cases reported in the UK result in a conviction. Unless we want to believe – and some will absolutely want to believe this – there’s thousands of women just making things up, the reality is that it’s near impossible to successfully prosecute sexual abuse cases.

Another argument is that the woman involved is still his partner.

The National Domestic Abuse Hotline reports that survivors return to their abusive partners an average of seven times before they leave for good… those who are still able to do so.

Perhaps the best argument the Greenwood Legion provide is that there wasn’t quite this same energy for other footballers accused of similar. That is fair to a point, but the huge outlier here is what we all saw and heard, imprinted on our memories and a chance for people to realise what actually happens and to form their own, informed, opinion.

We have what we have, we are where we are.

Those on either side of the divide won’t be changing their opinion anytime soon.

So now it’s over to Manchester United.

The delays and attempts at abdication for responsibility need to end. They had serious concerns about Greenwood’s character before this event, and they navigated those concerns because of the talent involved.

Even if judging on a purely football basis, this is a player who hasn’t appeared for 18 months.

Someone who would be – rightly and understandably – hounded by opposition supporters at every possible opportunity.

Someone who would be a huge distraction for the rest of his career with the club, clocking up negative front pages as quickly as he appeared on the back.

Take it off the pitch, but not too far, and Manchester United need to think about what they actually represent to those people who pack out Old Trafford and have done so for generations.

Those people in the crowd who have been battered, sexually abused, controlled by a partner.

Those who know they’d stand little chance of getting a conviction if they even tried.

Those… who are still going through it.

If the club cares one jot about what happens beyond the pitch then the decision is easy. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be that simple for Manchester United.

It very much should be.

The post Mason Greenwood: Manchester United have a very easy decision to make, but are making it hard appeared first on Sport Witness.

This is said to be the case of midfielder Daniela Montoya, who’s now reported to be a target for Manchester United.

This chase is revealed by Noticias RCN, who today feature a long story about the 32-year-old and managed to get some information from her agent Jorge Suarez.

Following their general coverage of her, RCN reveal a email that the representative received from Manchester United about her current situation.

“Hello Jorge, thanks for your email. What a night for Colombia! While we try to lower the team average age, and I would have to review the GBE points, what is the situation with Daniela Montoya’s contract please?,” said the message.

Suarez told Notícias RCN that he’s now in touch with Manchester United for a potential summer transfer. By the looks of the message, it seems like he was offering the Red Devils the player, but that’s just our assumption here.

Despite playing in Colombia for the past few years, Montoya had played abroad when featuring for Spanish side Levante and in Bahrain with Al Riffa.

She started both of Colombia’s matches at the World Cup, and the Red Devils will surely have to wait until the end of the tournament until they can get her signed. On Thursday, Colombia play Morocco in the final fixture of the group stage, and will get to know who they’re facing in the round-of-16.

The post Man United transfer email shared – Midfielder doing well at Women’s World Cup appeared first on Sport Witness.

That’s according to BILD, who say the 22-year-old’s is moving in a €120,000 deal, a record high for the German side.

The newspaper explains that every German first division side is currently losing around €1.5m per season, with Eintracht’s spokesman Axel Hellmann recently describing women’s football as a “subsidiary business” at a DFB event.

Director of football Markus Krösche is currently trying to change that, hence the decision to sell Nüsken to Chelsea.

Her move to London was confirmed earlier this week and according to BILD was concluded for a €120,000 fee, ‘a new record sum’ for Eintracht’s women’s team.

That figure is ‘small change’ compared to the stars of the men’s team and even in terms of the women’s Bundesliga’s record, which is currently the €350,000 Chelsea paid for Pernille Harder in 2020.

Nonetheless, Nüsken’s move is seen as a positive, with the hope that Frankfurt can start to repeat the success they’ve enjoyed with the men’s team of training talented young players and selling them at a profit.

Chelsea’s move for Nüsken has confirmed that is a path worth following, bringing in a new record sum for their women’s team.

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