Arsenal dispel Katie McCabe's Chelsea link

Arsenal have stifled any suggestion of Irish captain Katie McCabe leaving for Women’s Super League rivals Chelsea by Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

Saturday night reports from Sky Sports and the Telegraph suggested the Gunners had rejected a substantial bid for the left-sided player who has 18 months left on her contract and was supposedly open to exploratory talks with Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall was asked about the speculation on Sunday following their 9-0 FA Cup thumping of Leeds United, in which McCabe played an hour.

"I didn’t speak to Katie about that," said the Swede, who turned 40 on Saturday, about the transfer chatter.

"Katie and myself have never spoken about her leaving. We only speak about what we can create here at Arsenal. There is absolutely no chance of that move happening."

Arsenal and Chelsea have shared the last five WSL titles between them but the Blue side of London have dominated in recent years, landing the double last year.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes, talking after knocking Liverpool out of the Cup on a 3-2 scoreline, refused to reject the prospects of McCabe joining but in the context of no new recruits before the window shuts.

“There will be no players coming in and I won't be changing that perspective,” she asserted.

“This was always maintained that it would be a quiet window for us.

"I don't discuss rumours. I don't talk about other players. I've said there'll be no players coming in."

Elsewhere in the weekend Cup action, the Irish legion at relegated Birmingham City led by centurion Louise Quinn claimed the scalp of Courtney Brosnan’s Everton through Jade Pennock’s solitary strike.