Tobin Heath hopes to join Arsenal “as soon as possible.”
The USWNT star spoke Monday in her first major news conference since signing with Arsenal earlier this month, revealing how excited she is to play for the club.
“It was my first childhood club team that I really followed and I fell in love with at a young age,” Heath said. “I was attracted to the style of play through certain players that were playing there. And you know, your first love of a club is something that is kind of unchanging and unwavering through it all.”
She will make her way to north London after the USWNT’s game against Paraguay on Tuesday in Cincinnati, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Arsenal next plays on Sunday at home against Manchester City (1:45 p.m. ET, NBCSports.com and atafootball.com). The window might be too tight for Heath to suit up for the game, which would push her debut back to Sept. 29 against Tottenham or Oct. 3 at Aston Villa.
Heath spoke about the team’s talent Monday, notably citing Nikita Parris and Vivianne Miedema. She also will reunite with former Portland Thorns teammates Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord on Arsenal.
“It’s a club that it’s easy to be passionate about, and one that is really deep in my heart and in my history of football,” she said. “It’s actually ridiculous, the talent [the team] has.”
While there was some speculation Heath would return to the NWSL and sign with one of two 2022 expansion teams, the forward is excited about this next chapter in her career.
“I feel like in our minds, we all think our club career is going to go a certain way, and in the last couple of years, a change in my plans has given me opportunities that I never thought I’d be able to get,” Heath said. “And this is one of them.”
