Beth Mead's clever reverse pass and Stina Blackstenius' clinical finish will forever be etched in the minds of Arsenal fans as the move that delivered the Gunners an incredible Champions League title in 2025. The north London side were huge underdogs against three-time winners Barcelona, but they fought hard and found a way to get the better of the Catalans in Lisbon last May, capping a European run for the ages.
But as Arsenal enter the latter stages of their title defence this week, hosting London rivals Chelsea in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday, they do so with a rebuild looming that could see them bid farewell to up to a dozen of their Champions League heroes, including Mead and Blackstenius.
Those are just two of 12 names who could be out of contract at the Emirates Stadium this summer. Centre-back star Leah Williamson and captain Kim Little are among those expected to stay, withThe Athletic reporting in January that talks with both were 'progressing well'. Meanwhile, it's unclear how pressing Emily Fox's situation is, with conflicting reports over her contract length, which was undisclosed by the club. ButBBC Sport's Emma Sanders understood in January that discussions regarding a new deal had also been positive.
But what about the rest of a squad that achieved something truly special last year? What about Steph Catley,who was nominated for the Ballon d'Or after performing consistently well alongside Williamson in the heart of defence? What about Caitlin Foord, her Australia team-mate who was a menace out wide throughout the knockout stages?
With Katie McCabe, a reliable presence at left-back for years, all-but-confirmed to be on her way out, who else could follow her out the exit door? And what added sentiment does that bring to the Gunners' Champions League title defence?