Advertisement

Lyon rumours of interest 'really nice' but I'm an Arsenal player - McCabe

The Ireland captain says she is committed to the club who she has been with for nine years.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND captain Katie McCabe has moved to dismiss rumours of a potential move to Lyon.

katie-mccabe Ireland's Katie McCabe. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

McCabe signed a new deal with Arsenal last year but a report from The Athletic says that Lyon have identified McCabe as a โ€œfirm targetโ€ this summer.

The Dubliner said the speculation is โ€œreally niceโ€ but stated that she is an โ€œArsenal playerโ€ and emphasised her respect for the fans and the club who she joined in 2015.

The Ireland skipper missed her sideโ€™s Euro 2025 qualifier against England last week due to suspension, and insisted that her focus is on her international duty this week as Eileen Gleesonโ€™s side welcome France to Pรกirc Uรญ Chaoimh.

โ€œIโ€™ve obviously full concentration on being with Ireland and our game prep for tomorrow,โ€ she told the media at Cork GAAโ€™s home ground where her team will train today before tomorrowโ€™s crucial game. France are aiming to top the group while Ireland are concentrating on securing a seeded place for play-offs.

โ€œIโ€™ve seen the rumours and for a club like Lyon to be interested, itโ€™s really nice, but Iโ€™m an Arsenal player. I have been for a long time and full respect to my Arsenal fans and teammates and the club as a whole and thatโ€™s the way itโ€™ll be.โ€

Lyon won their 17th French title last season and reached the Champions League final this year where they were denied a ninth crown following a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona.

When asked by The42 if McCabe is happy at Arsenal, she replied:

โ€œAs I said, Iโ€™m an Arsenal player coming up to nearly nine years now. I love the club, I love what we have been able to do and the trajectory we went on. As I said, Iโ€™m an Arsenal player and thatโ€™s about it really, yeah.โ€

melbourne-victoria-australia-24th-may-2024-melbourne-australia-may-24-katie-mccabe-of-arsenal-women-fc-whilst-playing-against-the-a-league-all-stars-women-team-during-the-global-football-week McCabe in action for Arsenal. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

McCabe returns in the wake of a joint investigation by the Sunday Independent and RTร‰ into alleged historical abuse in Irish football. Women involved in the sport in the 1990s have made allegations of unwanted sexual advances, sexual abuse and bullying by a number of male coaches. The RTร‰ Investigates: Girls In Green documentary was aired last week while a Garda investigation is underway. The coaches in question deny the allegations.

Denise Oโ€™Sullivan expressed her solidarity with the women who made the allegations while McCabe echoed her teammateโ€™s position and said she found the documentary difficult to watch.

โ€œI felt a lot of different emotions. I really felt for the players coming out and sharing their story. To have the courage to do that after so long, 20-25 years I think it was, the courage theyโ€™ve shown to come out and speak about those things that should never, ever have happened while those women were playing football and doing so to ensure it never happens again.โ€

McCabe continued by saying that she is โ€œluckyโ€ that she never experienced anything similar in terms of treatment throughout her own playing career and noted that safeguarding protocols are in place for the current national team. She also explained that although she has not communicated with the women involved, she has sent a message to the group via Stephen McGuinness of the PFAI.

McCabe added that she is happy to be available for selection again for Ireland after the conclusion of her one-match ban. The England game offered her a โ€œdifferent perspectiveโ€ as an observer rather than a participant in the game in Norwich. When asked to elaborate on how she engaged with the team, she said โ€œthey are kind of things I will keep to myself,โ€ but added that she accepted her position and was happy to support the team.

julie-ann-russell-after-the-game Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

โ€œAll in all I was really, really happy with Julie-Ann Russell coming back in, [after] four years [away], baby Rosie, and she gets the goal, which the whole team deserved. We were absolutely thrilled for her.

โ€œSheโ€™s [Rosie] been in with us since Monday last week. She didnโ€™t travel to England, but itโ€™s really, really nice. I think Eileen and the staff have done a great job integrating Julie-Ann and her partner and baby Rosie in. Theyโ€™ve got our full support. Itโ€™s really nice to come into the meal room and see Rosie. All the girls love it. Sheโ€™s got lots of new aunties.โ€

Cork is alive with excitement at the moment as the county prepares for the hurlers to contest the All-Ireland final against Clare this Sunday. Some 14,500 tickets have been sold for the France game, and McCabe is eager to provide the locals with another major sporting fixture to immerse themselves in at Pรกirc Uรญ Chaoimh.

โ€œIโ€™m really excited. Iโ€™ve never played in Cork before at senior level. Iโ€™ve heard good things from the older girls, of course, Denise Oโ€™Sullivan in particular. Weโ€™re not in Dublin for the first time in quite some time, I think itโ€™s over 10 years maybe, but Iโ€™m excited. Itโ€™s been a nice feel around the town.

โ€œWe know there is a big appetite for it so all I can say to the people of Cork is to come out and come support us, come watch us and cheer us on for a really exciting game.โ€

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!

Close