'It couldn't end any better'- Lia Wälti leaves Arsenal | OneFootball

Swiss midfielder Lia Wälti has bid farewell to Arsenal after seven years at the club that culminated in Champions League glory.

The 32-year-old is set to join Juventus before the transfer deadline after over 180 appearances for the Gunners since joining from Turbine Potsdam in 2018.

"This is without any doubt one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to take in my life to leave this football club," Wälti said.

"Arsenal is so much more than just a football club for me, it became my home, my second family, my safe place, a place I always wanted to return to and all I have in my heart right now are just beautiful memories I will always keep with me and I think the most important thing for me is as well the friendships and the relationships I've created with the people because that means so much more than just playing football."

Wälti went on to reflect on the win over FC Barcelona in the Champions League final last season.

"I think I always believed that we are capable to win the Champions League. I don't know what it is, sometimes in football you have a feeling and I think the feelings afterwards, it's something you can't describe. You let everything fall, all the pressure comes off and all the hard work we've put in as a team in the last couple of years and you just enjoy the moment and one of my biggest dreams was always to win the Champions League.

"My biggest dream was to win it with Arsenal and it finally happened and now it actually was my last game at Arsenal so I think it couldn't end any better. Of course, seven years is a really long time and they're not just good moments, they're always also tough moments and we all go away from our families and we build some really close relationships to people here and these are the people who help you go through moments which are tough. For me, as a person, I grew a lot."

As well as European glory, Wälti was also a part of the WSL winning team in 2018/19 and lifted the League Cup in the 2022/23 campaign.