Aston Villa women confirm signing of Noelle Maritz | OneFootball

Aston Villa Women have officially announced the signing of Noelle Maritz. For the third season running Villa has looked to Arsenal to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window.

Last season they signed Jordan Nobbs, while the season before, Anna Patten for her first loan spell. This year it is full-back Noelle Maritz who has signed on a 2-and-a-half-year deal with the option to extend for a further year. Maritz will wear the number 26 shirt for the remainder of the season.

The 28-year-old began her professional career in Switzerland in 2011 when she signed for FC Zurich, before moving to Wolfsburg in 2013. The Swiss international joined Arsenal in 2020 and has gone on to make 56 WSL appearances for the Gunners but in the last season started to see her game time limited with manager Jonas Eidevell preferring the young Laura Weinroither before her injury and now Katie McCabe to play in the right back position instead.

Maritz made her Switzerland debut in 2013 and has gone on to make 104 appearances. She is now a mainstay within the team and features within most squad lists. She has won trophies at every club she has signed for in her professional career having won 2 Swiss Womens Super League and 2 Swiss Women’s Cup trophies with FC Zurich, 5 Bundesliga, 6 consecutive DFB- Pokal, a Champions League with Wolfsburg and most recently the FA Womens League Cup with Arsenal. She has had a very successful career so far and hopefully, this will continue going forward with Villa.

The full-back is right-footed and more known to play in the right-back position but can also play at left-back if required. This signing gives further competition for both Sarah Mayling and Maz Pacheco for starting positions and also allows for more rotation within the back line. Her playing strengths include holding the ball and passing out of tight situations which she has done on many occasions for Arsenal.

The 5 foot 5 Defender joins Villa already being familiar with a few faces within the squad. Having played with both Nobbs and Patten during her time with Arsenal, and Alisha Lehmann through the national team. Hopefully, this sees them be able to link up well and form a good relationship to help push the team forward.

In my opinion, this is a very good signing for the team. With no competition or direct cover in either of the full-back positions we desperately needed to sign a player in this position in the transfer window. From what I have seen Maritz is a very positive player and is very good on the ball which will be exciting to watch. This signing also allows Carla Ward to rest Pacheco and Mayling who have played in every match so far this season. We may see Maritz make her debut as early as next weekend in the FA Cup against Everton as Pacheco is suspended for this game. I am excited to see how she performs in a Villa shirt.

Villa also announced this week that young midfielder Freya Gregory would be returning to the club after being recalled from her loan spell at Championship club Reading. This will further provide competition in the squad and also allow for rotation within positions.