Chelsea are on the verge of signing Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe after the defender’s departure from Arsenal.
The 30-year-old leaves Arsenal following the expiration of her contract, bringing an end to an 11-year spell in which she made 305 appearances and established herself as one of the club’s standout players of the Women’s Super League era. During her time in north London, she helped Arsenal secure the league title in 2019.
Known for her versatility, McCabe can operate as a full-back, winger, or centre-back. Her absence from Arsenal’s celebrations on Sunday following their Champions Cup triumph earlier this year further fueled speculation about her future.
Chelsea, who have tracked McCabe for several years, have reportedly beaten competition from Manchester City to secure her services. The Blues first attempted to sign her in 2015 before she chose Arsenal and were linked with another move in 2023, though that approach was unsuccessful.
Although Arsenal offered McCabe a new contract in April, she opted to seek a fresh challenge after attracting interest from both Chelsea and Manchester City.
McCabe played a major role in Arsenal’s 2025 Women’s Champions League success and also collected an FA Cup, three League Cups, and a Champions Cup title during her time with the club.
Her move would see her join one of Arsenal’s fiercest rivals. Ironically, she helped eliminate Chelsea from the Champions League quarter-finals in April, a tie that included a controversial incident involving Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson. During the second leg, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor was sent off after reacting angrily to a hair-pulling incident involving McCabe and Thompson.
Thompson later made light of the episode, jokingly recreating the moment during Chelsea’s entrance at the World Sevens Series, which the club won on Saturday.
McCabe’s arrival could provide a significant boost to a Chelsea side looking to bounce back after missing out on the WSL title last season and continuing their pursuit of a first Women’s Champions League crown.
Questions remain about how Chelsea’s squad will shape up ahead of the new campaign, with Niamh Charles attracting interest from Real Madrid and Lucy Bronze yet to confirm whether she will extend her contract beyond this summer.
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