Arsenal have completed the signing of Canadian forward Cloe Lacasse on a permanent deal.
The 29-year-old joins the Gunners following a four-year spell in Portugal with Benfica. Before that, she spent her youth career in Canada before moving to Iowa in the USA to play college football. Lacasse sealed a move to Europe in 2015 as she joined Icelandic team IBV and then eventually Benfica in 2019.
Over the last four years, the forward has scored 102 goals in 131 games and helped Benfica to three Portuguese league titles, three Portuguese League Cups and two Portuguese Super Cups. She was also named player of the year at the end of the 2022/23 season.
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For her national side, Lacasse has earned 19 caps and she's scored one goal. She has also been named in Beverly Priestman's provisional squad for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand set to kick off next month.
“I’m super excited and enthusiastic to get started here,” Lacasse, having completed the move to Arsenal. “I feel ready mentally and physically to be able to contribute here and win titles and I feel that this club has everything it takes to compete for the highest honours. I want to go to the next level and score goals here for Arsenal.”
Manager Jonas Eidevall added: “I’m really pleased that we have signed Cloe to strengthen our forward line here at Arsenal. Cloe is a proven goalscorer and has shown her quality over a number of seasons in two European leagues as well as the Champions League. She will add a different dimension to our attacking game and I’m looking forward to working with her.”
Lacasse becomes Arsenal's second signing of the summer after the club confirmed the arrival of Swedish defender Amanda Ilestedt earlier this week. They've also been heavily linked with England forward Alessia Russo, although her next destination after confirming she will leave Manchester United is yet to be confirmed.
