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Shocking the football world isn't a new experience for Kosovare Asllani.
Sweden's captain was the first player to sign for Real Madrid's newly-launched women's squad in 2019 and made a similarly bold choice to join London City Lionesses on Thursday [27 June].
But it feels different this time.
Speaking to reporters in Central London, the 34-year-old explained her decision to join the Pride.
"I'm very excited, and a little bit terrified, to join this project," said Asllani. "Everyone who knows my career knows that I’ve always been fighting for better resources and more investment. I’ve been waiting for someone like Michele Kang to come along.
"She’s the reason I’m here, working with the most powerful woman in the business is what intrigued me. People will call me crazy for being here when I have the opportunity to play in the biggest teams in the world, but I went with the feeling I get from Michele about her vision for women’s sport. I’m very excited to be here.
"Promotion. Winning the Super League. That’s my mission and that’s why I’m here. I’m not here to play in this division for long, we want promotion, we want to be at the top and ‘how fast can we get there?’ is the biggest question in my mind."
Michele Kang, who acquired London City Lionesses in December 2023, is on a mission to develop the women's game, investing in cutting-edge research to better understand how training methods and facilities should be designed for female athletes.
"We have someone who believes in the project, is investing in it, and is a doer – that is the feeling I get from Michele and was how I felt when I first met her," continued Asllani, when asked about the difference between London City and other clubs around the world.
"I remember leaving the room feeling that I wanted to work with her because this is what I’ve been waiting for – someone who doesn’t just talk, but someone who is doing.
"I think that is the biggest difference if you compare to the majority of clubs in the world, where you talk a lot and you say that you want to invest but you withhold. Here, and with the other clubs she has, she is investing, she is doing. She isn’t just talking – she wants to do it now and it’s a mission for her. It’s the vision that she has that I’m intrigued by.
"I feel like our values are aligned, she’s fighting for everything that I’ve been fighting for, and she is creating that now with London City Lionesses. I think it’s something huge for women’s football in England because she won’t be satisfied until we’re in the first league and we win it. I think that is the mindset you need to have and that is the biggest difference between the other clubs. She’s doing. And I really like that."
This is the first part of a series covering Kosovare Asllani's introductory press conference. Be the first to know about future updates by following us on social media and subscribing to our newsletter.
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