Arsenal are set to sign Sweden international Rosa Kafaji from BK Hacken.
A transfer fee for the 21-year-old, an attacking midfielder, has been agreed after she finished as the Swedish club’s top scorer in 2023.
Kafaji was also instrumental in guiding Hacken to the Champions League quarter-finals last year, netting four goals, with victories over Real Madrid and Paris FC and a draw against Chelsea in the group stages.
She is not just a goalscorer, however. Playing as a No 10, Kafaji’s role is to create chances with dynamic movement on and off the ball.
Arsenal played the majority of last season in a midfield three — Victoria Pelova, Lia Walti and Kim Little — with one No 6 and two No 8s. Kafaji coming in means there’s a more natural option to have a No 10 as opposed to strikers Alessia Russo and Vivianne Miedema (who left for Manchester City) dropping deeper or midfielder Frida Maanum pushing up.
Kafaji made her debut for the national team at the age of 17 and has since made nine appearances, starting both Nations League play-off games against Bosnia-Herzegovina in February.
She was born in Sweden after her parents fled from Iraq during the war against Iran in the 1980s.
A move to Arsenal with regular game time should consolidate her chances of becoming a regular first-team starter for her country.
Jonas Eidevall’s side have already signed Mariona Caldentey on a free transfer from Barcelona and Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar from Aston Villa. The Athletic has also reported Arsenal’s interest in signing England international Keira Walsh from Barcelona.
(Photo: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
