Arsenal’s Mary Earps interest cools as they eye Netherlands No 1

Arsenal are plotting a summer move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, Telegraph Sport understands, as their interest in Mary Earps cools.

Arsenal previously made a bid to try and sign England No 1 Earps during last summer’s World Cup but that was rejected by Manchester United, who were understood to have said Earps was not for sale. The Lionesses star’s contract with United expires this summer and no decision has yet been made about her future.

Netherlands shot-stopper Van Domselaar has a release clause in her contract which is in the region of £200,000 and sources say Arsenal have identified the 24-year-old as a strong target for their summer window.

Van Domselaar is seen as not only a star of the future but already one of the best goalkeepers in the sport. She played in all five of the Netherlands’ matches at last summer’s World Cup in their run to the quarter-finals, where they were narrowly eliminated by eventual winners Spain after extra time.

She signed for Villa in June last year from FC Twente on a three-year contract and no decision has yet been made regarding her future. She has repeatedly said how happy she is with the West Midlands outfit.

Van Domselaar, speaking exclusively to Telegraph Sport in February, said she was enjoying playing for Carla Ward’s Villa side.

She said: “I am really happy with my choice to join Aston Villa and join the WSL, which is the best league in the world. There’s a lot of potential in the team and I’m happy where I am right now. It’s a good team.”

Villa lost young midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown to Manchester City on the Women’s Super League’s January transfer deadline day earlier this year after Gareth Taylor’s side met her release clause, which was understood to be in the region of £200,000.