Jill Roord: Manchester City complete British record signing of ex-Arsenal midfielder from Wolfsburg
Jill Roord has signed for Manchester City two years after leaving Arsenal to join Wolfsburg; Gareth Taylor's side are understood to have broken the British transfer record to sign the 26-year-old midfielder, paying a fee in excess of £300,000
Thursday 6 July 2023 18:11, UK
Manchester City have completed the signing of midfielder Jill Roord from Wolfsburg.
The fee paid by City to the Frauen-Bundesliga side is officially a club record and sources in Germany tell Sky Sports News it is in excess of £300,000, making the deal a new British record.
The 26-year-old has signed a three-year deal with the club - who finished fourth in the WSL in 2022-23.
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Roord started her career at Twente and played for Bayern Munich and Arsenal before helping Wolfsburg to the Champions League final.
A Women's European Championships winner with the Netherlands in 2017, Roord also boasts four Eredivisie titles amongst many other accolades in her career to date.
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Speaking to the club's official website, Roord said: "I'm very happy and it's a very proud feeling for me to sign for Manchester City. I have always thought that this was a fantastic club with lots of quality, and I'm super excited to start here.
"I really like the way that they play, and I feel that it suits me perfectly. There's a lot of quality in the team, and it's a young side with plenty of potential which is very important to me.
"I've always thought that the Women's Super League is very competitive, so playing in England again is like a dream - I feel like I have developed a lot as a player during my time in Germany.
"In my conversations with Gareth [Taylor], I heard everything that I wanted to hear - we think the same way about football which is important, and where he sees me in the team was ideal - it is the perfect fit.
"If you play for City, you compete for everything you are involved in and that is what we will be aiming to do - with the quality we have here, anything is possible so I hope that we will be very successful together."
Head coach Taylor added: "We're really pleased to have been able to secure Jill's signature and bring her to the club.
"She has proven her worth in both England and Europe during her career so far, alongside on the international stage with the Netherlands - she is no stranger to success.
"She is a player whose calibre speaks for itself with what she has achieved, and we believe she will be a fantastic addition to our squad here at City.
"We're looking forward to welcoming her aboard and working with her over the next three years."
Analysis: Roord has game-changing potential
Sky Sports' Laura Hunter:
Considering Manchester City are without Champions League football for the upcoming season, the signing of Jill Roord is a coup.
Roord has pedigree. Arsenal fans might recall the stadium-silencing Roord roar as she lashed home the opening goal in Wolfsburg's European semi-final triumph at the Emirates in May.
No stranger to the WSL, the midfielder brings plenty of experience of big games, with a winning mentality to match. She shows up in the big moments. A British record transfer fee is testament to that.
What's more, at only 26, she has plenty to offer for years to come - and that suits the City project. The feeling at the club, and generally accepted by those outside it, is that City are right on the cusp of success. Only a signing or two away from a title-challenging squad.
Last season initiated the beginnings of a rebuild, but by the midway point the cogs were turning - the football was slick and entertaining, though not yet robust enough to mount a sustained title tilt. Roord offers that stability, but also class and quality in possession - perfect for the brand of football Gareth Taylor favours.
Her signing is a marker of intent, and will greatly enhance City's chances of earning some much-craved silverware next term.
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