Another Young Gun signs first professional contract with Arsenal Women | OneFootball

As great as the Arsenal Women’s squad is, it’s fantastic to see them securing the futures of their young talents, ensuring a bright future for the club. Earlier this week, news broke that young Gunner Vivienne Lia had signed her first professional contract with the club.

The 18-year-old England youth international joined Arsenal in 2021 as a 14-year-old and has truly left her mark on the Arsenal academy.

She’s experienced success with both the U-21s and the U-16s. Her latest achievement with the junior team was being part of the U-21s who won the PGA Southern League in April 2024.

Her exploits with the junior team earned her trips to Australia for the All Stars fixture in Melbourne, and she was also part of Arsenal women’s USA pre-season tour. She started the All Stars exhibition fixture and featured in pre-season games in Washington DC.

“To sign a professional contract at the club I’ve spent my whole life supporting is incredible,” said Viv. “I’ve worked so hard for this moment and I’m delighted to be continuing my journey at Arsenal. Now I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and I’m determined to take every opportunity to develop and grow.”

When you realize Gunner wingers Mariona Caldentey (28), Caitlin Foord (30), Beth Mead (29), and Lina Hurtig (29) are not getting any younger, and Arsenal may need to shake up their winger options, you can’t help but see a Viv Lia opportunity.

If Viv is as good as her glimpses of brilliance have suggested, she ought to force herself into this Arsenal team as her experience grows.

Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri aren’t letting anything stop them from being relevant in the Arsenal men’s senior team, so why can’t Viv do the same? After all, the club believes in her, as Head of Player Development James Honeyman admitted, “Viv has so much potential and we will all be there alongside her to support her growth within the professional game.”

Have you watched Viv Lia play? Do you think she’s got what it takes to one day become an Arsenal legend, following in the footsteps of some of our home-grown Arsenal stars?

Michelle M

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