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USWNT defender Emily Fox signs new Arsenal contract
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- USWNT defender Emily Fox signs new Arsenal contract
USWNT defender Emily Fox signs new Arsenal contract
United States women's national team defender Emily Fox has signed a new contract with Arsenal .
Arsenal confirmed Fox had committed her future to the club in a press release on Thursday, with the 28-year-old right-back agreeing a three-year deal, according to sources briefed on the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships.
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Fox joined Arsenal in January 2024 on a multi-year deal from NWSL side North Carolina Courage.
While her initial contract length when she joined the club was never disclosed, it was expected to reach its end in the coming months.
Since joining Arsenal, Fox has made 93 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and establishing herself as one of the club's most important players. She helped lead Arsenal to the 2023-24 League Cup and the 2024-25 Champions League title in her first full season with the club.
Fox has helped Arsenal to three trophies in total, adding the inaugural FIFA Women's Champions Cup last season to the tally after a 3-2 win over Brazilian side Corinthians.
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Since making her USWNT debut in 2018, she has played a significant role in a series of major successes for the national team, notably the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games and the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
On her new contract, Fox said in a press release: "I'm so happy to be extending my stay here. This has felt like home since the moment I joined, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to continue to represent this club and compete for titles. To be a part of Arsenal is to be a part of something bigger, and I feel like I'm in the best place to keep pushing for more."
How key is this for Arsenal and what does it mean for the USWNT?
Keeping Fox onboard for the future represents a significant bit of business from Arsenal and maintains the almost unrivalled depth at head coach Renee Slegers' disposal in the Women's Super League (WSL).
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Fox is one of the best right-backs in women's football, reliably so. Her athleticism, vision and ability to get forward and join Arsenal's attacks has been a key quality since moving to north London, but her tactical intelligence and one-on-one defending ranks amongst the best in the league.
Her inclusion in the PFA Women's Super League and the UEFA Women's Champions League Team of the Year in both of her two full seasons with the club are testament to that, not to mention her 2025 Ballon d'Or nomination.
Full-backs have become a premium position for recruitment officers in the WSL, a world-class, proven full-back capable using both feet even moreso.
With Arsenal once again competing on multiple fronts this season, there's a value in having multiple options with varying experience levels, from 19-year-old Smilla Holmberg, to Fox, to Spain international Ona Batlle (a right-back by trade but being utilised on the left since joining in the summer) and France international Elisa de Almeida (a centre-back capable of playing on the right).
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Fox, however, remains one of Arsenal's most important players. She has played every minute of Arsenal's WSL campaign so far this season.
Ahead of the Women's World Cup next summer, that consistency playing at the highest level in Europe will be critical for the USWNT and head coach Emma Hayes.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
US Women's national team, NWSL, Women's Soccer
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