Among the many high-profile moves to reshape women’s football this summer, Katie McCabe’s transfer stood apart. Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, and former England goalkeeper Mary Earps also arrived in the WSL, but McCabe’s switch across London from Arsenal to Chelsea generated the greatest drama.
The Ireland captain had anticipated the reaction and wisely stepped away from social media as the transfer was announced. That decision spared her from seeing some of the uglier online responses, although she was fully aware of the anger directed her way.
A little more than two months later, it is clear why McCabe chooses her words carefully when she sits down with Daily Mail Sport at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground. Her decision to leave the club she represented for more than a decade for its biggest domestic rival was never going to be straightforward.
‘Towards the end of my Arsenal contract, there was a lot happening behind the scenes,’ she says. ‘It was important for me to stay close to the people I trust and those who know me best. I was relying on them for support.
‘When I spoke to the Chelsea manager and understood her plans, as well as the club’s ambitions, it aligned perfectly with what I wanted. Now I’m just really excited to get started.’
Arsenal’s decision not to retain the popular McCabe was part of a broader plan to refresh their senior women’s squad and lower its average age. The 30-year-old followed established figures including 31-year-old Beth Mead and 30-year-old goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger out of the club.
Even with two-time Ballon d’Or winner Putellas and former Lioness goalkeeper Earps WSL bound, McCabe’s move across the capital from Arsenal to Chelsea eclipsed them all
Record eight-time WSL winners Chelsea managed to bat off competition from last season’s champions Manchester City for the left back’s signature this summer
Reports that Arsenal offered McCabe a new deal in April indicated that the club may have recognised its error, but by then the process had already advanced. Chelsea, the record eight-time WSL champions, ultimately beat last season’s winners Manchester City to secure the left back’s signature.
The complexity of a transfer, with negotiations and private discussions taking place away from public view, is often difficult for supporters to see. As McCabe puts it graciously: ‘You can’t expect everyone to understand.’
In this case, however, the reaction became deeply personal. One social media user posted an image of a McCabe shirt cut into pieces on X. Another called her a ‘snake’ and wrote: ‘This is probably the worst thing Katie McCabe could have done for not only her career but as a person. You not only are hated by the Chelsea fans, but now you lose the support from the Arsenal fans who saw you as a legend.’
McCabe knew supporters would be stunned to see a player so closely associated with Arsenal move on, but did she expect the backlash to reach such a level?
‘After spending the last 10 or 11 years as an Arsenal player, sharing that journey with the fans from Boreham Wood to the Emirates and winning trophies together, I always knew it would be hard for them to see me leave, particularly for a rival,’ she says.
‘I understand their frustration. But stepping away from social media was mainly about the timing. The announcement came on the first day of an international camp, and my priority was representing Ireland. I didn’t want outside noise to distract me.’
Online abuse remains a major issue in women’s football, with female athletes reportedly subjected to 19 per cent more harassment than their male counterparts. Despite growing awareness of the problem, there is little sign that it will disappear soon.
‘If we’re talking purely about football opinions, I’m completely comfortable with that,’ McCabe says. ‘But when people or pages make it personal, that’s different.
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Arsenal’s releasing of McCabe at the end of her contract was a result of a longer-term strategy intended to freshen up the women’s senior squad and bring the average age down
McCabe was lucky to avoid a third career red card in April when she pulled her new team-mate Alyssa Thompson’s hair in a Champions League meeting with her new side
‘I try to keep it at arm’s length. What matters most to me is the opinion of my team-mates, the manager, the staff and the people I work with, along with my close friends and family outside football. You learn that with experience.’
Experience is certainly not in short supply. McCabe has won seven major trophies and ranks among the most accomplished players of the modern women’s game, but her importance to Arsenal went well beyond her medal collection. Fans regularly sang ‘We’ve got McCabe’ from the stands, a chant she proudly returned after helping end the club’s decade-long wait for a Women’s Champions League triumph.
She is the kind of player teammates cherish and opponents dread. Comparisons with Roy Keane are common, particularly because McCabe also captains Ireland, although her disciplinary record is considerably lighter: she has received only two red cards in her career.
A third appeared possible in April, when she pulled the hair of her future Chelsea team-mate Alyssa Thompson during a Champions League match against her new club. McCabe said the incident was accidental, while her new manager, Sonia Bompastor, was sent off.
Much has also been made of McCabe’s childhood connection to Chelsea, but her move is driven by more than sentiment. Chelsea believe her winning mentality and experience of lifting the Champions League can help them reclaim the WSL title and chase the one major prize still missing from their collection.
Arsenal may have been looking to refresh their squad with younger players, but McCabe believes she still has plenty to offer. She had no desire to step away from the highest level or leave one of England’s leading clubs.
‘I feel I’m at a really good point in my career,’ she says. ‘I feel fit and confident, and I know I still have a lot to contribute. That was part of my thinking. Chelsea have been winning consistently for so many seasons, and I want to be part of that. I want to help bring trophies to Stamford Bridge, alongside a dressing room full of players who are just as hungry.’
Although she has considerable leadership experience, McCabe has no intention of forcing herself into the centre of Chelsea’s dressing room from day one. Her preference is to establish herself through her performances.
A player who likes to lead by example, McCabe makes it clear that she has no intention of barging into the place and immediately asserting herself, despite her leadership experience
‘This is a new dressing room, a new environment and a different style of play. For me, the priority is to come in, work hard and earn the respect of my team-mates.
‘I’ve spent the last few weeks working closely with the team, Sonia and the technical staff to understand our approach. Once I have done that, I can find my role, use my experience when it helps and support the players around me.
‘There are different ways to approach it, but I want to keep my head down, put in the work and show the girls that I’m ready to be here and compete.’
McCabe will not have to wait long to face Arsenal again. Chelsea are scheduled to welcome her former club to Stamford Bridge next weekend, just the third fixture of the WSL season after Aston Villa’s opener. The prospect of the home supporters singing ‘We’ve got McCabe’ will add another layer to an already compelling reunion.
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