Arsenal Put Smile Back On My Face - Kelly

Chloe Kelly said she considered taking a break from shot earlier Arsenal "put nan grin backmost connected my face" and transformed her difficult play "from a existent debased to a existent high".

Kelly started Saturday's Champions League last arsenic nan Gunners stunned holders Barcelona to triumph a first European title successful 18 years.

The England world came done nan Gunners' younker ranks betwixt 2010 and 2015 and was fixed a chance backmost astatine nan nine aft struggling for crippled clip pinch Manchester City, making conscionable 1 commencement successful nan WSL earlier her deadline time indebtedness move to northbound London.

She said she "wanted to beryllium happy again" successful a societal media station and then-City leader Gareth Taylor said it was "really disappointing" really nan bitter transportation saga betwixt Kelly and nan nine came to an end.

"I said I was coming to this nine to find happiness pinch shot and I person a badge information my neck," Kelly told BBC Sport's Jo Currie. "Every time that I travel into nan nine I'm smiling. They put nan grin backmost connected my look truthful I will everlastingly beryllium grateful for that.

"I took a measurement to effort and make things amended for myself and I'm grateful for nan group astir maine that supported maine to return that step. This 1 is for everyone that helped maine do that."

Kelly has made 13 appearances successful each competitions since re-joining Arsenal, scoring twice.

She helped nan Gunners unafraid a second-placed WSL decorativeness and now has Saturday's triumph successful Lisbon to celebrate.

"Definitely up there," Kelly, who scored England's winning extremity successful nan Euro 2022 final, added connected wherever nan triumph ranks. "The travel it has taken to get here, it's decidedly been a battle.

"Now to observe this infinitesimal pinch nan girls, pinch Arsenal Football Club but besides my family that person been location done nan acheronian days to now, I'm conscionable really grateful."

On whether taking a break from shot was a existent action earlier her January move, Kelly said: "It decidedly was. I don't deliberation group understand astatine times nan emotions that sometimes spell done people's minds.

"It's difficult to explicate but we're present now and we're astatine nan different broadside of it. It's football, sometimes there's high, there's lows and there's bits successful between. From a existent debased to a existent high, I americium very grateful for Renee Slegers.

"The first point I said to Renee erstwhile we hit Lyon successful nan semi-final was 'thank you for this opportunity'."

Kelly's statement astatine City expires successful June and her indebtedness move was only until nan extremity of nan season.

On whether fans tin expect to spot her successful an Arsenal garment again adjacent season, she added: "Who knows. I conscionable cognize I person fixed my each for nan nine and nan nine has fixed their each for me, truthful I'm ever grateful."