Jordan Nobbs returns home to drive Newcastle’s promotion push | OneFootball

Jordan Nobbs has joined Newcastle Women following her departure from Aston Villa, telling Sky Sports she wants the challenge of helping the club reach the WSL. That matters because Nobbs holds the record for the most WSL appearances in the competition’s history, 208 in total, and her arrival hands Newcastle a genuine marquee name as they push for promotion from WSL2.

Nobbs completes free transfer after 13 years at Arsenal

The 32-year-old midfielder spent two and a half years at Aston Villa, scoring seven goals in 67 games, after 13 years at Arsenal, where she scored 81 goals in 270 appearances and won three WSL titles, four FA Cups and five League Cups. She joins Newcastle on a free transfer having grown up in the North East and come through the academy at Sunderland before her move south, and has won 71 caps for England, her last coming in 2023.

Newcastle finished fifth in WSL2 last season as they prepare for a second campaign in the division. According to a Guardian report carried by OneFootball, the club had been in advanced talks to sign Nobbs on a free transfer specifically to strengthen their promotion push, fending off reported interest from clubs in Europe and the United States. Republic of Ireland defender Aoife Mannion is also set to join Newcastle around the same time, a further sign of the ambition behind this summer’s recruitment.

Nobbs explains why the move made sense

Speaking to Sky Sports, Nobbs said she was open to her options after leaving Villa and wanted to explore Newcastle’s ambitions before committing.

She described getting promoted as genuinely difficult, noting the women’s game is “harder than it looks” and that Newcastle’s fifth-place finish last season shows real progress. After speaking with the club about their goals, she said she wanted to help push for promotion using her experience.

A return home carries extra weight for Nobbs

The move is a homecoming 14 years after Nobbs left Sunderland’s academy as a 17-year-old. She described the move as bringing her career full circle, from growing up in the North East, to living out her dream at Arsenal, to now returning to a club pushing for promotion.

She also pointed to the personal side of the switch, noting that moving away so young meant missing out on family occasions, and that having relatives and friends able to watch her play for Newcastle means a great deal to her.

WSL2 has become an increasingly tight division, as covered in She Kicks’ guide to the Championship structure, with London City Lionesses promoted by just two points last season. Newcastle’s recent squad activity, including the arrivals detailed in coverage of Jessie Gale’s loan move and the departure news around Georgia Potts, shows a club actively reshaping its squad for another promotion tilt.

Source: Sky Sports