81-goal Midfielder announces ‘i have left Arsenal for my England career.’

Jordan Nobbs has revealed why she made the big decision to leave Arsenal women this January transfer window.

“When I was leaving Arsenal I wanted to stay in England,” says Nobbs, in an exclusive interview with Telegraph Sport.

Asked why, she replies: “For my England career.

“I can’t shy away from wanting to get back in the squad. I know that I need gametime. I know for a fact that it’s going to be a really tough ask getting into that squad, but I want to give myself the best possibility to do that.

“It’s really hard to be in top form and be the best version of you when you’re in and out of a squad, or you’re changing positions like I did at times, so I think, with consistency and gametime, you can see a version of me again.

“It’s not going to happen after one game, it’s going to take time, but I’m here to work hard for Villa.”

Nobbs says her new manager at Villa, Carla Ward, has given her “confidence”, adding: “She’s honestly been brilliant. Whenever you have a manager that’s communicating with you, it’s a breath of fresh air. Carla, from minute one, has had multiple conversations with me. It’s been amazing just having a manager that’s been easy to speak to and really wanted me at this club. It’s nice to have that feeling and that confidence from her. I’m looking forward to working with her and having those challenges and just progressing this team together.”

Nobbs could make her Villa debut on Saturday, when they host Tottenham Hotspur as the WSL returns after a month’s winter break. As she looks forward to a new chapter, though, there is still a nod to her past in Nobbs’ unusual choice of shirt number: 88.

“There weren’t too many numbers left and none of them kind of meant anything to me, so I did ask for 88,” she explains. “I’d been 8 for my whole career since I was about seven years old, so I did want to stay with just a little part of me in that, and I’m really happy that I chose 88 because it just means a little something to me, rather than a number I’ve basically got no connection with.”