Godfrey delighted to sign first professional deal

Academy graduate Freya Godfrey is here to stay in north London after signing her first professional contract. 

A dynamic attacking player, Freya impressed last season at Ipswich Town on a dual-registration agreement, before returning to north London to make her first-team debut against Brighton & Hove Albion. 

"To be offered the opportunity [to sign my first professional contract] is incredible," Freya told Arsenal.com. "I just hope I can make it count and do something with this chance.

"I'm comfortable playing anywhere in the front line. I’m quite attacking-minded but I think I’ve also learnt to work really hard and that’s the main aspect - if you can’t control other things that are not going well, I just think: “what can you control?”, and that’s hard work, so that's something I'm working on."

Having been at the club since the age of 12, Freya has grown up watching fellow academy graduates Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Teyah Godie and Anna Patten step up to the first team. 

"It’s incredible," he said. "You can see the journeys they’ve been on, the success they’ve had - both with Arsenal and with England. I’m very close with Teyah, so you can see her success story and she’s a very good example of what it takes and how hard you have to work. It’s nice to have her in my corner.

"I think growing up and looking up to them, they are such big people in your life, they’re such big stars. And then when you actually meet them, they’re so down to earth, and funny as well, and it’s just such a comfortable environment – they welcome you quite easily, so it’s really nice.

"The girls were all very helpful [when I returned to Arsenal] and really welcomed me into the environment. It really challenged me in a different way compared to Academy football, which was very much needed so I’m very grateful for it."

Watch the full interview by pressing play on the video above