<\/p>\n
Kyra Cooney-Cross has made a massive post-FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup move and joined fellow Matildas Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord at Arsenal as the Australian presence continues to grow around the football world. <\/p>\n
The 21-year-old Queenslander, who starred in the midfield for the Matildas at the World Cup, has moved to the Gunners from Swedish club Hammarby. <\/p>\n
The player was in hot demand among English heavyweights ahead of her Hammarby contract expiring at year\u2019s end, but Arsenal won the race with a deadline-day deal that will reportedly cost a transfer fee of \u00a3140,000 ($A270k) rising to \u00a3250,000 including possible bonuses.<\/p>\n Cooney-Cross, who has 39 Matildas caps, has continued to elevate her game through stints with Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers and then in Sweden before landing her deal with the Gunners. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so excited to join this club,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n \u201cArsenal just felt right as soon as I heard about the interest.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere at Emirates Stadium in front of a big crowd for our first game there this season.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t wait to get started and help us achieve something big together.\u201d<\/p>\n Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall rated Cooney-Cross \u201cone of the best young players in world football\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are delighted to have brought her to Arsenal,\u201d Eidevall said.<\/p>\n \u201cHer passing ability and explosiveness allow her to affect games in a way you rarely see from such a young player, so we firmly believe she will be an excellent addition to our midfield, now and in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Arsenal\u2019s head of women\u2019s football Clare Wheatley said: \u201cWe are so pleased to have brought Kyra to our club.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the age of 21, she already has impressive experience at domestic and international level and we believe she has huge potential for future development.<\/p>\n \u201cTogether with our supporters, we welcome Kyra to the Arsenal family and look forward to seeing her play in the red and white.\u201d<\/p>\n The huge move from Cooney-Cross comes as four of her Matildas teammates and coach Tony Gustavsson were nominated for prestigious individual FIFA awards with Foord, Mary Fowler and Sam Kerr vying for women\u2019s player of the year honours. <\/p>\n Shot-stopper Mackenzie Arnold was one of seven nominees for best women\u2019s goalkeeper on the back of her penalty shootout heroics in Australia\u2019s quarter-final win over France at the World Cup. <\/p>\n Gustavsson is one of five nominees for best women\u2019s coach, along with Spain\u2019s World Cup winner Jonatan Giraldez. <\/p>\n After success with Celtic in Scotland before his move to Tottenham Hotspur, Ange Postecoglou has also been nominated for best men\u2019s coach of the year and is vying with Manchester City guru Pep Guardiola for the award. <\/p>\n AUSTRALIAN FIFA AWARD NOMINEES <\/b><\/p>\n The Best FIFA Women\u2019s Player:<\/p>\n Caitlin Foord; Mary Fowler Sam Kerr<\/p>\n The Best FIFA Women\u2019s Coach: <\/p>\n Tony Gustavsson <\/p>\n The Best FIFA Men\u2019s Coach:<\/p>\n Ange Postecoglou <\/p>\n The Best FIFA Women\u2019s Goalkeeper <\/p>\n Mackenzie Arnold <\/p>\n<\/div>\n