With the January 2026 transfer window now open, Arsenal Women are balancing long-term planning with immediate challenges, having already completed one significant piece of business.
The club have confirmed the signing of Smilla Holmberg on a long-term contract, with the 19-year-old right back arriving from Hammarby IF in Sweden. Born in Stockholm, Holmberg joined Hammarby at the age of seven and progressed through the club’s academy before making her senior debut in 2022 at just 15 years old. Across four seasons at the senior level, she made 96 appearances, scored 10 goals, and played an essential role in one of the most successful periods in the club’s history, helping Hammarby win the Swedish league title in 2023 as well as the Swedish Cup in 2023 and again in 2025.
Holmberg’s rise has continued on the international stage. She made her senior debut for Sweden against Italy in the UEFA Women’s Nations League in May 2025 and was later selected for the European Championship squad that summer. She featured three times as Sweden reached the quarter finals and now has nine senior caps and one goal. During Euro 2025, she was entrusted with taking the seventh penalty in a shootout despite several more experienced players still available. She missed and was left visibly emotional, a moment that highlighted both the pressure she has already faced at the highest level and the responsibility placed on her at such a young age.
Speaking after completing her move, Holmberg said, “It’s always been my dream to play for Arsenal. This is a very special moment for my family and me, but it’s also about joining a club with the highest standards and a strong winning culture. I’m excited to start this new chapter, continue developing my game in a demanding environment, and compete at the highest level. My ambitions align with the club’s, and I want to help win silverware here.”
Despite that addition, Arsenal’s wider January plans remain cautious. Head coach Renée Slegers has emphasised that injuries do not automatically dictate transfer activity. “We work longer term, so we want to look two or three windows ahead and make sure we plan things really well,” she said. “Of course, in the background, it’s the people who are actively working with it day in and day out. But we always look to stay active, so when the window is open, we are active. We always look to strengthen the squad when we can, but at the moment, we haven’t planned for it. This is just fresh news with Leah.”
Slegers was also asked about transfer rumours, including reports linking Arsenal with Hoffenheim goalkeeper Laura Dick, as the club assesses its options between the posts. When questioned on whether Arsenal are looking to sign another goalkeeper in January, she pointed to developments within the current squad.
“So we brought Naomi back in, which has been really good; she’s come back really well,” Slegers said. “She said herself this morning it was only four months, but she feels like she’s become a better person and a better goalkeeper, so she’s done really well coming back in for us. I think again, Anneke performed really well against United and made that incredible save early in the game. Daphne is progressing back in.”
She added, “Of course, as an athlete, as a footballer, you’re always stretching your limits physically, and a lot of players are managing things, and Daphne is obviously coming back now. Anneke has been having some things she’s definitely been fine with playing with. So three good goalkeepers. In an optimal situation, they’re all fit and ready to go, and we’re close to that point now.”
Even with that context, the squad’s on-pitch needs are becoming clearer. Under the assumption that Leah Williamson is unavailable, Kim Little cannot be relied upon to play every minute, and Kyra Cooney Cross is not an immediate option, Arsenal’s priorities sharpen significantly.
Defensive midfield stands out as an area where reinforcement would bring immediate balance. Kim Little remains an intelligent, technically elite, and influential figure, but she is best used selectively rather than repeatedly asked to shoulder the physical and defensive demands of anchoring midfield. With no natural holding midfielder available in the short term, Arsenal have at times lacked a player whose primary responsibility is to protect the defence, break up play, and maintain positional discipline. This has affected control in matches, particularly against sides that threaten on the counterattack. A specialist defensive midfielder would help stabilise the team and allow Little to operate in roles that better suit her strengths.
The case for adding a centre back is strengthened further by the long-term injury to Katie Reid. Her absence reduces depth and removes a developing option who could otherwise provide rotation. Without Leah Williamson, Arsenal are short of leadership and organisation at the heart of defence, increasing the risk during a congested run of fixtures. An experienced centre back would offer stability, improve communication, and ease the pressure on the remaining defenders.
There is also a growing argument for adding experience to the goal. With Manu Zinsberger sidelined long-term, Arsenal’s goalkeeping group is notably young, with the oldest available goalkeeper just 25. While there is evident talent and potential, a lack of senior experience can be felt in high-pressure moments, particularly in knockout competitions and decisive league matches. Bringing in an experienced goalkeeper, even on a short-term basis, would provide leadership, competition, and reassurance during a demanding second half of the season.
Taken together, Arsenal Women’s most pressing needs in the current January window are a specialist defensive midfielder, an experienced centre back to cover current absences, and a senior goalkeeper to balance a youthful goalkeeping department and provide stability at a critical point in the campaign.
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