Women

Ariana Arias joins VfL Women

Talented 21-year-old goalscorer moves from Spain.

VfL Women’s attacking options have just got all the more exciting, with Spanish striker Ariana Arias Jimenez set to join the Green-and-Whites ahead of next season. The 21-year-old is linking up with the She-Wolves on a free contract from Barcelona’s B team, signing a contract with VfL Wolfsburg which runs until 30 June 2027.

Champions League-winner with Barcelona

At the age of 15, Arias moved from her home club Sección Deportiva Colegio Miramadrid to CD Tacon, where she progressed through various youth teams before making her debut in the Primera Division on 27 October 2019. In 2020, Real Madrid took over CD Tacon and in the two years that followed, the striker formed part of Real’s second team but nevertheless made 10 appearances at first-team level.

In summer 2022, she moved to Barcelona’s B team and proceeded to set the Spanish second tier alight, finishing as top scorer in the Primera Federacion two years in a row. In the 2022/23 season, she scored 18 goals in 29 games, and followed that up with 16 in 26 a year later. She made one Primera Division appearance in her first year at Barcelona and seven in total in her second season – five in the league, one in the cup and one in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where she helped Barcelona to successfully defend their title.

Die VfL-Wolfsburg-Spielerin Ariana Arias hält einen Ball im Arm.

“Giving it my all”

“The opportunity to move to VfL was something that excited me right from the off,” said Arias, who has been given the No.20 jersey. “I’m going to have the chance to play in the Champions League for a very successful club and hopefully get to rack up the wins. I’ll be giving it my all on the pitch and trying my best to help the team every minute that I’m out there.”

“Real potential for development”

“Ariana is a player who certainly has an eye for goal and who can play anywhere across the forward line, and at the same time, she is still young and has real potential for development,” said a delighted Ralf Kellermann, director of women’s football at VfL Wolfsburg, of the sixth new signing for the She-Wolves this summer. “With this in mind, we are convinced that she will be able to play a key role in our squad over the long term.”