Arsenal sign France defender Élisa De Almeida from PSG

Arsenal have signed the France defender Élisa De Almeida from Paris FC Saint-Germain, completing the deal on the final day of the Women's Super League transfer window.

The 28-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year contract. The fee has not been confirmed by either club, but reports in France put it at around £500,000-£550,000. She becomes Arsenal's eighth signing of the summer.

The move fills a gap at centre-back. Katie Reid, the young England defender, is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury and is not expected back before November, and Arsenal had only three fit centre-backs available before De Almeida arrived. She can also play right-back, giving Renée Slegers extra cover across the back line. Vivianne Miedema's knee injury has added to the pressure on the squad more broadly.

"I'm so excited to join Arsenal," De Almeida said. "It's a very big club and I can't wait to meet the team tomorrow. Everything went very quickly for me. It's an honour to be here today." She said she had grown up watching French players at the club, naming Thierry Henry, Samir Nasri and Arsène Wenger, and added: "I spoke to Renée before coming here. She told me what she was expecting of me and what position I was in. I'd say I'm a solid defender, determined in the duels and have a good Vision of the game."

Slegers said: "We're very pleased to add Elisa to our squad. Her composure, mobility and experience are all strengths in her game and I look forward to working with her on the training pitch."

De Almeida started out at Paris FC FC before a spell at Montpellier and five seasons at PSG, where she made more than 154 appearances and scored three goals. She won the Coupe de France in her first season at the club and again in 2023-24. For France she has 52 caps and five goals, and was part of the squads at the 2023 World Cup and Euro 2025.

PSG were more reluctant to let another player leave on deadline day. Manchester City are understood to have made a late move for the Nigeria midfielder Jennifer Echegini, but the French club were fighting to keep her.

Manchester United's business looked different. They signed the Mexico midfielder Rebeca Bernal, who can also play at centre-back, and their new head coach, Eva Olid, said afterwards there would be no further additions before the season starts. Olid, the former Hearts manager, used her first press conference since replacing Marc Skinner to set out how she wants the team to play.

«They appointed me for that reason. I have to go with that. We will be brave in attack, trying to play that attractive football».

Bernal was United's only permanent arrival before the deadline, and Olid confirmed there would be no further incomings before Friday's opener at London City Lionesses. She has been in the job only a matter of weeks, working for now with a squad largely assembled by Skinner.

The WSL season opens on Friday, when London City Lionesses host Manchester United. Arsenal, already strengthened this summer by Georgia Stanway and Ona Batlle, begin their campaign at Brighton on Sunday, 6 September at 12:00 BST. With Reid still some weeks from returning, De Almeida may find herself needed at centre-back sooner rather than later.