Arsenal Women have been linked with a move to sign Sweden international Rosa Kafaji from Hacken in the ongoing summer window.
Rosa Kafaji is not just another highly rated talent coming through in women’s football; the BK Hacken number 8 has come through from the streets of Solna to one of the brightest prospects in the world. And Arsenal are looking to bring the 21-year-old to the Emirates Stadium this summer. The Gunners are in talks with the Swedish international as they look to secure her signatures and bring her services to the Emirates Stadium, per Tim Stillman of Arseblog.
Arsenal set to battle for Swedish Starlet Rosa Kafaji
Jonas Edivall’s side will have to beat the likes of Barcelona, Lyon, and Chelsea if Arsenal are to sign her this summer.
While the Gunners pursue his signatures, many wonder whether this is a domino effect of Victoria Pelova’s ACL injury. The Dutch international suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while on Dutch duty. She sustained the injury in the early stages of the NetherlandsEuro 2025′ qualifying game against Finland last week. The former Ajax star has undergone surgery and is expected to be sidelined for the majority of the upcoming season.
Panic Buy?
Arsneal women correspondent Tim Stillman was quizzed about whether the Gunners are reacting in the market to Pelova’s injury or signing Rosa Rafajo was always among the plans at Sobha Realty Training Centre. Tim relays an example of men’s football to show that Arsenal as a club don’t usually react in panic and all their dealings are usually planned. He cites the example of Mikel Arteta missing out on Benjamin Sesko earlier this summer and how Edu left the table and hasn’t gone into anyone else for the sake of it.
Tim says that Mariona and Kafaji are moves that would make the attack more fluid going into next season, and it is not a panic reaction to Pelova’s injury.
Taking to arseblog’s substack, Tim wrote:
Q: Quick question on Rosa Kafaji: Do you think this signing (if it happens) was always planned or a response to Pelova’s ACL injury? [Question by Alastair Wood]
A: “The honest answer is that I don’t know! I don’t think Arsenal or Jonas Eidevall only suddenly became aware of this player, so I doubt it represented a major pivot. My understanding was always that Arsenal would try to buy a younger winger, but I no longer think that to be the case, which could represent a pivot from Arsenal, but it could just as easily mean that I overindexed information from conversations I had. Both are perfectly plausible; the club’s plans are often fluid.
“Look at the men’s team; their first target this summer was Benjamin Sesko, which did not work out, and, from what we can see, they haven’t targeted another striker since. Arsenal and Eidevall recognized the issues against deep blocks last season and, in my view, they often lacked craft and movement, and I think Mariona and Kafaji are moves to make Arsenal’s attack a little more fluid, to have players that make short combinations, can operate in tight spaces, and pop up in different areas. I am not convinced Kafaji is connected directly to Pelova’s injury, though.”
It is an interesting take. Rosa Kafaji is a player who oozes technical elegance. She possesses a magnificent range of passing and dribbling abilities and is really good at controlling the tempo of the game. Rosa is also someone who will take the creative responsibilities from the middle of the park.
When Rosa Kafajo scored against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League tie on November 23, 2023, the DAZN commentator said, ‘Remember that name,’ and it looks like she could be heading towards greatness with the Gunners.
