Arsenal and England defender Leah Williamson is targeting a January return from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that saw her sidelined for this summer’s Women’s World Cup.

Williamson suffered the injury against Manchester United in April and has been undergoing rehabilitation since.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ ‘Three Players and a Podcast’, Williamson likened return to the Arsenal squad as being a “new signing” for Arsenal. “I do joke about it, because now I’m looking forward to being a new signing,” she said.

“When I come back, I have a responsibility to add to my team. [I think] ‘how do I come back? How do I add to them?'”

Williamson’s comments were made ahead of Arsenal’s Women’s Super League (WSL) season opener against Liverpool on Sunday, October 1.

Team-mate Jen Beattie praised Williamson’s leadership qualities and the morale boost she provides to the team, even from the sidelines. Beattie said, “Whoever was on the pitch always felt so backed by the people who were injured, or not able to be a part of those games, because they were big games.”

Beth Mead, who also suffered an ACL injury last November, is expected to return for the start of the WSL season.

Speaking about her recovery, Mead noted the invaluable support she received from teammates like Beattie and Kim Little. “The likes of Jen (Beattie) and Kim (Little) have been amazing for me and my progress. They’ve actually pushed me and kept me sane for the time when everybody else has been away.”

Mead’s return adds to Arsenal’s competitive edge, but Beattie also highlighted the challenges of the current pre-season, stating, “It’s definitely been the most disjointed pre-season.” International commitments, including the World Cup and Nations League, have made for a fragmented build-up to the new WSL campaign.