Manchester City can today announce the signing of Austrian international Laura Wienroither on loan.

The 26-year-old defender, who will wear the number 13 shirt, joins from fellow Barclays Women’s Super League side Arsenal on a deal that will keep her at the Joie Stadium for the rest of the 2024/25 season.

Wienroither made her Arsenal debut against Manchester United in January 2022 and scored one goal after joining the club from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.  

She made 30 appearances for the Club the following season, before an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in the team’s UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final against VFL Wolfsburg in May 2023 ruled Wienroither out for the majority of 2023/24 - before returning from injury in a 5-0 win over Bristol City in April 2024.

At international level, she has been capped by the Austrian national team 35 times and has scored twice. 

She will become the first Austrian to represent Manchester City during our professional era and will be available for selection in the UEFA Champions League, having already represented Arsenal in the competition this season.

Wienroither said: “I’m really happy to be here. I’m relieved everything’s done now and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with people who trust and believe in me.

“I just hope I can give the trust back. When you have the chance to sign for a big club like City, I don’t think you have to think a lot about it, at least I didn’t.

“I spoke a lot to Therese [Sjogran], I really like her as a human being. She gave me the opportunity to come here, she believes in me and I think that’s what really made me want to sign for City.”

Manchester City Women Director of Football, Therese Sjogran added: “We’re delighted to welcome Laura to the Club.

“She will bring even more quality in the full-back position and we’re looking forward to seeing what she can add to our team in this crucial part of the season.” 

COMMITTED DEFENDER  

Through infectious enthusiasm which translates into tireless displays on the field, Laura Wienroither has left a trail of admirers across former employers throughout her career so far. 

She has the experience to match too and will certainly bolster a City squad competing on four fronts before the curtain falls on 2024/25. 

This has seen her win major honours in her homeland of Austria and in England while competing on the highest stages both domestically, internationally and on the continent.  

The versatile defender, who can play at both centre-back and right back, first broke through at Union Kleinmunchen in 2014 before remaining in Austria with SV Neulengbach ahead of a move to St Polten.  

It was at the latter where she won a league and cup double in 2017/18 and stamped her authority in the Champions League, catching the attention of Hoffenheim ahead of a maiden move across the continent.  

Wienroither’s stock continued to rise in Germany as she contributed to Hoffenheim’s return to European football’s top table, then playing 10 times in the Champions League for them in 2021/22 – scoring twice and registering two assists.  

Coincidentally, Hoffenheim faced Arsenal weeks before the Gunners secured her signature in January 2022, with our new number 13 helping them secure a 4-1 win against her future employers. 

She made 12 appearances in all competitions before the term’s end which earned her a place in Austria’s squad for the 2022 European Championships.  

After reaching the quarter-finals of the prestigious tournament with her nation, she continued to develop into an integral member of Arsenal’s squad – racking up 30 outings in 2022/23 and lifting the Women’s League Cup. 

But Laura unfortunately suffered an ACL injury shortly after which kept her on the sidelines for a prolonged period as she faced arguably the toughest time in her career to date. 

With trademark determination and positivity, she met the challenge of returning to full fitness head on, alongside City forward Vivianne Miedema who was embarking on a similar rehabilitation journey at Arsenal around the same time.  

Weinroither returned to action in 2023/24, making four appearances as she battled back to full fitness and has since made five this term – including four in the Champions League. 

With City needing reinforcements as we plot successful quests for trophies this year and Wienroither keen to prove herself at the top level once again, our deadline day transfer could prove to a masterstroke for both parties.  

HONOURS  

St Polten  

OFB-Frauenliga: 2017/18 

OFB Ladies Cup: 2017/18  

Arsenal  

League Cup: 2022/23, 2023/24