Arsenal have sanctioned the exit of young winger Vivienne Lia one week after the end of her loan at Nottingham Forest.
The young winger spent the first half of the season with the City Ground side and made 12 appearances, including a solitary assist in the WSL2, but had her recall clause activated by the Gunners on deadline day.
European Move Made
Days after her return to the Emirates, Arsenal confirmed that Lia would once again move onwards to join Swedish side Hammarby, who missed out on a Damallsvenskan title back in November by four points.
The Stockholm-based club’s season begins in March, but face key European fixtures in the Women’s Europa Cup against Portuguese side Sporting CP.
✍️ Varmt välkommen till Hammarby, Vivienne Lia! 💚
Hammarby är överens med Arsenal om ett lån över 2026 för den 19-åriga yttern. #Bajen pic.twitter.com/KRXt5Q9DOR
— Hammarby Fotboll (@hammarbyfotboll) February 9, 2026
Lia signed her first professional contract with Arsenal just over a year ago, and has steadily been gaining experience with spells at Southampton and Nottingham Forest in the lower tiers.
Speaking to Hammarby following her move to Sweden, the 19-year-old said:
“I’m coming to a top club that I know I’ll develop a lot in and also get the opportunity to gain new experiences from both the league and life abroad. As soon as Hammarby came knocking on the door, I felt very excited to come here.
I only had time to meet Smilla (Holmberg) quickly, but of course I know Kyra (Cooney-Cross) and she has spoken very highly of her time at the club and the supporters.”
Loan Experience Vital
With Arsenal stocked with brilliant talent on their flanks, players like Vivienne Lia are unlikely to find any regular action under Renee Slegers so loan moves are the best way to continue their development.
While it was a fairly underwhelming stint at Nottingham Forest with just three starts in the WSL2, securing a move elsewhere will likely give her some crucial game time.
Hammarby will be fighting on multiple fronts this season as they look to challenge for the Damallsvenskan and the Europa Cup, so there will be plenty of matches and squad rotation needed for the Stockholm side to reach their goals.
Lia still has a lot of time on her hands, and with some familiar faces at her new club, she might find the move to Scandinavia a brilliant step towards becoming a regular in the WSL going forward.
