Arsenal have signed striker Cloe Lacasse on a permanent deal from Benfica, the club have confirmed.

The Canadian international, who has scored an impressive 173 goals in her senior club career, says she has made the switch to the Gunners to challenge for trophies:

“I’m super excited and enthusiastic to get started here. I feel ready mentally and physically to be able to contribute here and win titles and I feel that this club has everything it takes to compete for the highest honours. I want to go to the next level and score goals here for Arsenal.”

Lacasse has had a rather interesting career up until now. After impressing in college with the Iowa Hawkeyes, she decided to make the switch to Icelandic football in 2015, spending four years with IBV.

The forward was extremely prolific in the Urvalsdeild kvenna, racking up 54 goals in just 79 league appearances. Her form eventually got her a move to mainland Europe.

Spell at Benfica

After arriving in Portugal in 2019, Lacasse continued to find the net on a regular basis, scoring 20+ goals in all competitions for four consecutive seasons whilst in Lisbon.

During her time with Benfica, the 29-year-old won the league and the domestic cup on three occasions, as well as the Super Cup twice. She was also awarded the Portuguese League Player of the Year last season.

Lacasse is not the only new signing Arsenal have made this week

It was revealed on Tuesday that Amanda Ilestedt had joined on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. At 30 years of age, the centre-back will add even more experience to the squad.

Lacasse and Ilestedt have both been senior players for a long time and Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall is clearly keen to have those types of characters in the dressing room as they look to mount a challenge for the Women’s Super League title next campaign.