San Diego Wave Complete the Transfer of Laila Harbert from Arsenal Women
Laila Harbert of England U23s on the ball during a match against Germany Photo by Christian Kaspar BartkeGetty Images
Laila Harbert has made a permanent move from Arsenal Women to join the NWSL team San Diego Wave.
The 19-year-old had been with the Gunners for a decade, signing her first professional contract with Arsenal in January 2025.
The defensive midfielder made her first-team debut in May 2024 and spent time out on loan with spells at Watford, Southampton, Portland Thorns, and Everton.
Internationally, she has represented England up to the U-23 level and captained the U-17s to the Euro Finals in 2024, as well as securing fourth place at the World Cup that same year, among 30 appearances for that age group.
More recently, she started every match for the U-19s as England secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and also played a key role in helping England win the Women’s U-23 European Friendly Finals in April 2025.
Wave’s Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton told sandiegowavefc.com. “We’re really excited to welcome Laila to San Diego. She’s an exciting young talent with exceptional technical quality, vision, and composure under pressure. We look forward to supporting her continued development and seeing the impact she will make with this team this season and for years to come.”
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