Katie McCabe: Chelsea sign Republic of Ireland captain following Arsenal exit
Chelsea have had a long-term interest in McCabe, who was a fan of the club as a child. They held off competition to sign her from WSL champions Manchester City.
An approach was made by Chelsea for McCabe in 2015, but McCabe opted to join Arsenal. They reportedly attempted again in 2023, but their bid was rejected.
She was offered a contract renewal by Arsenal in April but decided to pursue other opportunities, with Chelsea and City having made their interest known.
McCabe played a key role as Arsenal won the Champions League in 2025 and she also has an FA Cup, three League Cups and one Champions Cup medal.
On the international scene, McCabe has made 105 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, netting 34 goals, and led them to their first World Cup in 2023.
She was the first Irish woman to receive a nomination for the Ballon d’Or awards in 2023, and the first player male or female from her nation since Roy Keane in 2000.
Now McCabe can look forward to joining a club who have been one of Arsenal’s biggest rivals – a side that she helped knock out of the Champions League quarter-finals in April.
During the second leg of that European tie, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor was sent off as she vented her anger at a hair pull on Alyssa Thompson by McCabe.
Chelsea won the World Sevens Series on Saturday and Thompson jokingly re-enacted the hair pull scene during their entrance.
McCabe’s arrival boosts a Chelsea squad bruised from missing out on the WSL title in the season just ended, and who are still chasing an elusive Champions League trophy.
Her addition to the squad is welcome given clubs are pursuing England left-back Niamh Charles, with Manchester City favourites to sign her.
England full-back Lucy Bronze is also out of contract with Chelsea this summer and has yet to confirm whether she has agreed an extension.