Nighswonger leaves Arsenal for Bay FC

Olympic gold medallist heads stateside

Jenna Nighswonger is set to swap Arsenal for Bay FC in a deal worth approximately $200,000, ending a frustrating stint in English football and marking her return to the NWSL.

The 2024 Olympic gold medallist struggled for regular minutes during her time in north London, managing just five league appearances after Gotham FC sold her to Arsenal in January 2025 for around $100,000.

From rookie sensation to Champions League winner

Nighswonger burst onto the scene as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. Her debut season at Gotham FC was electric - 20 regular season starts, three playoff appearances, a championship title, and the NWSL Rookie of the Year award.

That form earned her a senior call-up to the US women's national team in December 2023. She has since won 20 caps and collected an Olympic gold medal in Paris.

At Arsenal, she was part of the squad that lifted the 2025 UEFA Women's Champions League trophy, though she didn't feature in the final. A loan spell at Aston Villa in early 2026 brought eight league outings, but Villa declined their option to make the move permanent.

Bay FC banking on a bounce-back

Now 25-year-old Nighswonger joins a Bay FC side in desperate need of a spark. The club sit 14th in the standings with a modest record of five wins, three draws and nine defeats - good for just 18 points.

New head coach Emma Coates will hope Nighswonger can rediscover her best form alongside recent arrivals Claire Hutton, Kennedy Fuller and Agostina Holzheier. For a player with a championship pedigree and international experience, the NWSL could be exactly where she needs to be.