Dive into the intricate prep for Arsenal’s 2023/24 season: new signings, player contracts, positional availability, and future challenges.

• The expected signings of Alessia Russo, Amanda Ilestedt, and Chloe Lacasse, along with the professional contracts given to Freya Godfrey, Naomi Williams, and Michelle Agyemang, will increase the number of professional contracts at Arsenal.
• In terms of availability by position, Arsenal potentially have 28 players available with additional signings possible. However, there are considerations for players on long term injuries and those that could be loaned out.
• Despite the solid numbers, the Arsenal squad could benefit from an extra quality signing in all positions to increase depth, a weakness that hurt the club last season.

With the World Cup less than a month away, preparation for the 2023/24 season is well underway and a flurry of activity has already taken place with new signings expected, Academy players promoted to professional, and goodbyes to many players too. The transfer window opens today, and Arsenal will be able to register new players.

The Barclays Women Super League rules allow for 25 players to be registered in the squad, but it does not limit the number of professional contracts that can be signed as players can simply be sent on loan or not registered with the team while injured, for example.

With the expected signings of Alessia Russo, Amanda Ilestedt and Chloe Lacasse, and the three new professional contracts given to Freya Godfrey, Naomi Williams and Michelle Agyemang in February 24 when she reaches 18 years old, Arsenal will certainly have a huge number of professional contracts.

It is definitely needed as we do not want a repeat of last season’s Champions League semi-final where Arsenal went into extra time with four U-17 Academy players on the bench, due to injuries and registration rules.

If we look position by position, the following players will be available unless they depart the club before the transfer window closes.

• Goalkeepers (4): Zinsberger, D’Angelo, Marckese, Williams
• Defenders (9): Wubben-Moy, Beattie, Williamson, Catley, McCabe, Maritz, Wienroither, Goldie, Ilestedt
• Midfielders (6): Little, Miedema, Maanum, Wälti, Pelova, Kühl, Forwards (9): Mead, Hurtig, Foord, Gio, Blackstenius, Godfrey, Agyemang, Russo, Lacasse

Potentially 28 players available and even more if other signings also materialise. There is a current safety in numbers, but we have to remember four players are on long term injuries: Williamson, Mead, Miedema, and Wienroither. It is hard to predict if they will be ready for September or January.

With four goalkeepers available it means one of them will surely go on loan as we only need three. Will it be Marckese or Williams, that is the question.

There are only seven defenders available, so not all positions are doubled up. Does it mean that one player must be added to the squad and then someone like Goldie could be sent on loan once Williamson and Wienroither are back from their ACL?

There are five midfielders available right now and it is clear that a second defensive midfielder to back-up Wälti is a must. Especially if Little gets injured and we ended having to use number 8 and 10 types in the double pivot which is less than ideal.

In attack, there are eight players available which is fine and once Mead is back, nine forwards is a big number. The big question is can we add more quality alongside Lacasse and Russo and then youngsters like Agyemang and Godfrey could be sent on loan. Hurtig and Gio did not have a very good season and you wonder if they will be able to improve next season.

Overall, the Arsenal squad is very solid in numbers, but could do with one extra quality signing in all positions and also a few players leaving as not all of them would be registered in the League.

The lack of depth hurt the club last season and it is good to see recruitment is made to avoid the same thing happening in 2023/24.