Arsenal midfielder Freya Godfrey has left to join Championship side Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan.

The 18-year-old signed her first professional contract earlier this month but, to gain more first-team experience, it was decided that it was best for her development to move to the Addicks and spend a campaign in the second tier. Asked about the switch across London, Godfrey said she is excited by the opportunity:

“I’m buzzing, I can’t wait to get started, I’ve seen the way that [the team has] been developing throughout the years, getting better and better, and it’s just something I wanted to be a part of.”

Charlton finished fourth in the Championship table last campaign and manager Karen Hills is an experienced figure who should help Godfrey develop her game.

Godfrey’s Career So Far

The attacking midfielder started at the Essex FA’s Regional Talent Club before joining Arsenal’s academy at the age of 12. Her performances in the WSL Academy League turned heads, scoring 13 times in 18 appearances for the Gunners.

That led to Godfrey’s move to Ipswich Town in the FAWNL Southern Premier Division back in September where she continued her rapid progress at senior level.

At the end of last season, Arsenal handed the teenager her debut, playing in the 4-0 win over Brighton in mid-May. A week later, Godfrey made her second appearance against Everton in a 4-1 victory.

Arsenal have had a busy summer

Godfrey is the fifth player to leave the North London club in recent weeks, with Anna Patten moving to Aston Villa, while Rafaelle, Fran Stenson and Mana Iwabuchi have all departed on free transfers.

The Gunners have also been busy in terms of incomings, with the likes of Alessia Russo (Manchester United), Cloe Lacasse (Benfica) and Amanda Ilestedt (Paris Saint-Germain) joining Jonas Eidevall’s first-team squad over the past month or so.