Firstly, apologies we have gone a little quiet since the WSL season ended, clearly what has been happening on the men’s side has taken a little energy! So please accept this short news round-up!
First things first, Arsenal Women will be part of the club’s Champions Parade on Sunday in Islington alongside the men’s team who will display the Premier League trophy and, hopefully (please!) the Champions League trophy too. The women’s team will display the FIFA Champions Cup trophy that they won in January after beating ASFAR and Corinthians in an intercontinental tournament in London.
As per Kathryn Batte in the Telegraph, Arsenal youngster Laila Harbert is set to join San Diego Wave with a buyback clause inserted into the deal. Wave are coached by former Arsenal Head Coach Jonas Eidevall.
We are expecting Caitlin Foord, whose current Arsenal contract expires at the end of June, to sign a new deal with the club. Our understanding is that negotiations are going well and are expected to be wrapped up soon.
We would caution that the free transfer signings of Ona Batlle, Georgia Stanway, Selina Cerci and Geraldine Reuteler are unlikely to be officially announced by Arsenal until early July when their respective club contracts have officially expired.
Emily Fox and Alessia Russo were included in the UEFA Women’s Champions League team of the season as chosen by the UEFA Technical Observer Group. Daphne van Domselaar won WSL Save of the Season for her fingertip save at home to Brighton in October.
There is a full international window taking place in June. So the likes of Emily Fox (USA), Lotte Wubben-Moy, Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly, Taylor Hinds and Alessia Russo (England), Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord (Australia), Mariona (the Spain squad isn’t confirmed until tomorrow), Frida Maanum (Norway), Olivia Smith (Canada), Rosa Kafaji, Stina Blackstenius and Smila Holmberg (Sweden) and Anneke Borbe (Germany U23s) will all join up with their countries.
Daphne van Domselaar will not join up with Netherlands as she undergoes scheduled surgery. Our understanding is that this operation has been planned for a while. Arsenal thoroughly reinforced their goalkeeping department in January with Bara Votikova coming in on loan and Naomi Williams recalled from loan at Bristol City.