Bay FC has agreed to sign USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger from Arsenal for around $200,000, ESPN reported. Nighswonger would be returning to the NWSL following a 1.5-year stint in England’s WSL, first with Arsenal and then on loan with Aston Villa.
Nighswonger was selected fourth overall in the 2023 NWSL draft by Gotham FC and won both the NWSL Championship and the NWSL Rookie of the Year award that season and made her USWNT debut shortly after. After two years with the club, she was transferred
to Arsenal in January 2025 for around $100,000.
Following the move to Arsenal, Nighswonger’s minutes for club dropped dramatically as she only made five league appearances for the club during her time there. She also hasn’t made an appearance for the USWNT since February 2025. Nighswonger was sent on loan to Aston Villa for the back half of the 2025/26 WSL season with an option for a permanent transfer. Although Nighswonger became a regular starter during this period, her option was ultimately declined.
