Stina Blackstenius exclusive: Sweden striker “ready for new challenge” at Arsenal Women after joining this month | Football news
Stina Blackstenius was one of the January window’s most coveted transfer goals, but after signing for Arsenal, the Sweden striker is mainly focused on being “a better player”.
“I just went for it,” Blackstenius told Lynsey Hooper in an interview Sky Sports, which addresses her decision to move to the Women’s Super League.
After letting her contract expire at the Swedish club Hacken, she chose Arsenal from one of many suitors. “I get a really good impression of Arsenal as a club and everything just felt good when I made the decision,” she said.
“WSL is one of the most attractive leagues right now because it’s a really competitive league to be in.
“I was out playing in France a couple of years ago [Blackstenius spent two seasons at Montpelier before returning to Sweden] but then I felt that I might not be ready to take that step.
“But after being there now [back to] Sweden, I thought I was ready for a new challenge now. “
Blackstenius joins a number of Swedish teammates in the WSL, including Magdalena Eriksson in Chelsea and Hanna Bennison in Everton, but she did not turn to them for advice on taking the next step. “I’ve heard so many good things about the league and the team here in England, I felt I did not need anyone!” she says.
Although there are no other Swedish players in Arsenal, Blackstenius has at least one familiar face in the locker room.
“I know Frida Maanum from when we played in Linköping,” she explains, where the two went over during Blackstenius’ second playing time at the club, after winning the Damallsvenskan with them already in 2016.
“She can speak Swedish so I talked to her a little the first day.
“I got a good first impression of everyone. There are many good girls in the group and I feel well taken care of.”
Manager Jonas Eidevall is of course Swedish as well.
Blackstenius said: “He knows I want to fight for trophies and I want to keep winning things. And I know he’s a coach who wants the same thing.
“I feel that the mentality in the group is that we are here because we want to be better players, and we want to win things. We want to go as far as we can in the Champions League and also in the league. I feel like it’s just something we do here. “
Part of that struggle will also be a struggle to start on the side. Arsenal boast a plethora of attacking talent, none more so than the WSL top scorer of all time Vivianne Miedema. But Blackstenius says that she did not receive any guarantees over the playing time and that she instead looks forward to competing for a place in Arsenal’s front line.
“There are so many good players here and there is high quality throughout the team,” she said. “So I know it’s going to be tough for me to play but I wanted to take that challenge, try to get better and be as competitive as possible.
“The football method [here] will be different. I have already seen in the training that the quality is really high, and that it will be a challenge for me to try to adapt to this as best I can.
“Of course I hope so [Miedema and I] can play together, but I can not actually answer that question! I would have to hand it over to Jonas.
“But it will be really fun to play with a player as good as Viv. She has long shown what a player she is and what quality she has. So it would be a good opportunity for me to grow as a player.”
It is noticeable how much Blackstenius talks about her own will to improve when she takes the next step in her career.
“I think all players want to get better,” she said. “And when it’s competitive, you really have to make the best of every training session and every match. For the players and the team.”
While she is focused on showing her best on the pitch, she is also settling down from the pitch.
“I have received so much help from everyone in the club and the girls on the team,” she said. “It means a lot that I can call someone or ask someone for help because I’m new here and I do not know exactly how things work. But it makes everything easier that I can speak English, which I could not when I was in France.
“I’ve never been to London before so I think I’ll just enjoy seeing everything! I’ve heard there are so many nice things to do here.”
For now, Blackstenius and Arsenal turn their attention to Sunday night’s match against Manchester City in the WSL, live on Sky Sports. After making his debut during Arsenal’s Continental Cup selection for Manchester United, Blackstenius is looking forward to having an opportunity in the league as well.
She said: “It was nice to make my debut the other day, even though we did not win. I am so happy for my first minutes in my new shirt. I look forward to making my league debut as well.
“I’m just so happy to be here. I look forward to all the matches and meeting the fans and everything around them.”
Watch Manchester City vs Arsenal Women live on Sky Sports Football from 6.30pm on Sunday; kick-off 18.45