Frida Leonhardsen Maanum joins Arsenal

Offensive midfielder Frida Leonhardsen Maanum has signed with Arsenal ahead of the FA Women's Super League season.

The Norwegian national team player joins the Gunners after a four-year-long spell in the Swedish top-flight with Linköping FC.

Norway's greatest talents

She was named as Norway's greatest talents after making her senior national team debut back in the Euros 2017. Shortly after Maanum was announced as Linköping FC's new player in Sweden.

"She came as a young talent and she will leave us as a shining diamond," Frida Andersson, club director in Linköping said.

Maanum joined Linköping from Staebak in the Norwegian top-flight Toppserien and the success came instantly. Maanum won the Swedish league title with Linköping in the 2017 season.

That success has been followed by a couple of bumps on the road for Linköping, but Maanum has continued her development.

The Norwegian spoke to VAVEL last year and praised Linköping FC:

"The club has been offering me a great environment to develop in and one of Linköping’s strengths is that they are really good to take care of younger players.”

One of the Damallsvenskan's best players

Maanum has established herself as one of the best players in the Swedish league. When she was named as captain in Linköping ahead of the current season it came as no surprise.

The Norwegian has 38 caps for Norway since her senior debut and for Linköping she has made 95 appearances in total. On top of that she has scored 25 goals.

Very versatile as a midfielder as she can operate all across the midfield but it has to be said that Maanum is the best in an attacking midfield role. During the international season with Norway, Maanum has played at the right central parts of Norway's midfield but in Linköping, she mostly operates on the left-hand side as we see on her heatmap from the current season in Sweden.

She always oppose a serious threat with long-range shots from outside the box such as her ball-carrying ability and quality touches in the final third.

Maanum leaves Sweden and the Damallsvenskan with coming in second after Stina Blackstenius, BK Häcken, as the player that takes most shots in the 2021 season.

What Jonas Eidevall said

Speaking to Arsenal's official website, the Gunners' new coach, Jonas Eidevall said:

“We are very happy to bring Frida into our squad. She is already an experienced player and her technical ability paired with her leadership qualities will align with the style of football that we want to play here. We are looking forward to working with her.”