Melbourne City FC can today confirm the signing of Westfield Matildas international Emily van Egmond ahead of the 2019/20 Westfield W-League season.
The 26-year-old joins the Club on a one-year deal from National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Orlando Pride.
The experienced midfield has earned 90 caps for the Australian national team, as well as flourishing abroad, where she has developed a wealth of experience in Australia, United States, Germany and Denmark.
Melbourne City FC Head of Football, Michael Petrillo said: “We are delighted to have a player of Emily’s quality and experience join the Club ahead of the new season.”
“Her attacking attributes, leadership and composure will bring great strength to our midfield,” he added.
“Emily has demonstrated great consistency and versatility at the highest level, she is a very talented midfielder with great vision and technical skills that will suit the City style of football.”
Speaking on her signing, van Egmond said: “I’m very excited to begin my journey at Melbourne City. The Club is extremely professional, second to none, and I’m just super excited to be here.”
“We have a huge year coming up again with the Matildas, with Olympic qualifications and hopefully Olympics, and I feel where I am right now in my career, it’s the best environment for me to be able to challenge myself individually as a player and to obviously be successful with the team.
“I’ve been extremely fortunate to play in a bunch of different environments, Europe, the US and obviously here in Australia, and I think all these different experiences have definitely helped shape my career and helped me gain those 90 caps for the national team,” she added.
“I have a strong winning mentality, which is part of the reason I chose to come to Melbourne City because I want to win, and as a footballer I feel that my knowledge of the game and my passing attributes are my biggest strengths.”
The Newcastle-born midfielder began her W-League career when she joined her hometown club, Newcastle Jets in the 2008/09 season. She played eight games scoring two goals in her first season, demonstrating her footballing talent from the onset.
In 2009, van Egmond joined Canberra United (16 appearances, two goals), and then Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark. The attacking midfielder returned to Newcastle in 2011 (17 appearances, five goals), before making her first move to the NWSL, joining Western New York Flash before Seattle Reign FC.
The 26-year-old spent the 2013/14 W-League season at Western Sydney, where she made 12 appearances and scored two goals for the Wanderers. Spells at Chicago Red Stars (10 appearances, two goals) and Newcastle Jets (12 appearances, five goals) then followed, before she made her first move to Germany in 2015.
Joining 1. FFC Frankfurt, van Egmond made 17 appearances (one goal), before moving to fellow German Women’s football side VfL Wolfsburg. During her time at Wolfsburg, van Egmond displayed her attacking strengths, netting five goals in nine appearances.
The Matildas international returned to Australia in 2017, when she re-joined her hometown club, Newcastle. In her latest stint at the New South Wales club, she made 19 appearances, netting four goals, while also playing for NWSL side Orlando Pride (25 appearances).
With a wealth of experience under her belt, the former Julie Dolan Medal winner brings leadership and tremendous attacking traits, further strengthening Head Coach Rado Vidosic’s side.
Van Egmond joins fellow new signing Emma Checker and returning youngsters Sofia Sakalis and Chelsea Blissett to commit to the Club ahead of the 2019/20 Westfield W-League season.
