Arsenal's Elite Squad: A New Era in Women's Football

Arsenal have spent the last few years building a squad. Now they have a machine.

Across the pitch, Jonas Eidevall and his staff can look at almost every position and see not just cover, but genuine competition. Experience runs through the core of this group, yet there is enough youth and ambition to keep the whole thing crackling with energy.

Take the so‑called “younger” faces. Olivia Smith arrives with three senior seasons already behind her, the latest under the glare of a hefty price tag that never once seemed to weigh her down. Smilla Holmberg brings a similar volume of football, plus the edge that comes from playing an hour in a European Championship quarter-final for Sweden against England. Lisa Baum has fewer international caps than either of them, but she has been in senior dressing rooms since the age of 15. None of them are wide-eyed prospects. They are battle-tested.

One issue still nags, and it sits right at the heart of the back line. Centre-back remains the only area where the depth chart feels thin. Leah Williamson’s struggle to string together long, uninterrupted runs of fitness looms over any title bid. With Katie Reid still working her way back from an ACL injury, another setback for the England captain would leave Arsenal leaning heavily on Lotte Wubben-Moy and Steph Catley in the middle. It is a strong pair, but it is still a pair. Strip that concern away, though, and the rest of the squad looks stacked, the sort of depth that makes supporters dream big.

Midfield Upgrades

Nowhere has that upgrade been more obvious than in midfield. For too long, Arsenal lived on the edge with their reliance on Kim Little and Mariona Caldentey. When either one missed out last season, the drop in control and creativity was stark. That is no way to chase multiple trophies, especially with Little now 36 and managing her minutes more carefully. The arrivals of Georgia Stanway and Geraldine Reuteler change that landscape completely. Arsenal no longer cling to one or two lynchpins; they can shuffle, rotate, and still keep their standards high.

The same story plays out up front. Alessia Russo has carried a heavy load for both club and country, often looking like the one irreplaceable forward in every big game plan. Her ability to stay available has been remarkable, a tribute to her preparation and professionalism. But even the most durable striker needs a breather. With Selina Cerci joining Russo, Stina Blackstenius and the recovering Michelle Agyemang in the striker pool, Arsenal finally have the tools to protect their main No.9 without sacrificing threat.

Cerci’s record underlines that point. No player has scored more Bundesliga goals over the last two seasons. She arrives not as a project, but as a ready-made scorer, someone who can either partner Russo or give her the rest she has earned.

Behind them, the No.10 role, once a puzzle, suddenly looks like an area of strength and variety. Frida Maanum has been the most consistent starter there, yet the club never quite cracked it with Victoria Pelova, who has now moved on. Experiments with Kyra Cooney-Cross in that advanced role never fully clicked either. Rosa Kafaji, signed in 2024, has already departed to London City Lionesses, trimming the list of obvious options.

The solution does not come from one specialist. It comes from a cluster. Reuteler, Little, Caldentey and Stanway can all step higher to operate between the lines, while Maanum can drop into a deeper role when the game demands it. That freedom to mix and match gives Eidevall the ability to tailor his midfield to the opponent or the schedule, whether he wants control, aggression, runners from deep, or extra protection.

All of this sits on top of what Arsenal have already proved under Eidevall. They are not building from theory. They have the Champions League trophy to show for it and a semi-final run in a fierce title defence to back it up. The summer business does not reinvent them; it sharpens an already elite side.

Calibre of Newcomers

Look at the calibre of the newcomers. Ona Batlle is a world-class full-back, one of the most complete in her position anywhere. Stanway is among the very best midfielders on the planet, a player who brings bite, leadership and goals. Cerci arrives as the Bundesliga’s most prolific scorer over two seasons. Reuteler’s quality was there for everyone to see at Euro 2025. Baum, still only in the early stages of her career, offers a blend of present impact and long-term upside that any top club craves.

The context around them matters too. Manchester City, the defending WSL champions, deserve all the respect that comes with that title. Their run last season, though, came without the strain of Champions League football. This time, they will juggle Europe and domestic demands, a different kind of test for a squad that now has to stretch itself across more fronts.

Chelsea, serial winners with six straight titles before City’s breakthrough, step into a season full of questions. Last year was their worst WSL campaign in seven seasons, and the cracks were hard to ignore. Injuries ripped through their depth, exposing vulnerabilities that had been masked by relentless success. Some of those concerns remain, both in specific positions and in the club’s recent record of keeping key players fit.

Manchester United, after a quiet summer and the surprise exit of head coach Marc Skinner, do not currently look built for a sustained title charge. London City Lionesses have spent big and made headlines with the signing of two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, but it is almost certainly too soon for them to leap from ambitious project to genuine champions.

That leaves Arsenal with a rare opportunity. They have a squad that runs deep in almost every department, players who can switch roles and systems without losing clarity, and a recent history that proves they know how to cross the line in the biggest competitions.

They have conquered Europe. The next question is simple, and it hangs over the new season like a challenge: can this group finally bring the WSL title back to north London for the first time since 2019?