UEFA have announced that teams in the Women’s Champions League will be allowed to register up to six new players, including three who have been fielded by one of the seven other quarter-finalist clubs. This decision, a reversal from earlier guidelines, will allow Arsenal to add their summer signings to the squad, as well as Caitlin Foord, who joined the club in January. It is also beneficial for some of the other teams: Olympique Lyon will be allowed to add Ellie Carpenter to their team, while Atletico Madrid will be allowed to add Hedvig Lindahl and former Arsenal goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. Until this decision, Atleti were faced with the prospect of starting an academy player.
From Arsenal’s initial UEFA squad of 23, six have left the club: Peyraud-Magnin, defender Louise Quinn, left-back Katrine Veje, who joined Rosengard, midfielder Tabea Kemme, who retired, Academy midfielder Silvana Flores, who joined Chelsea, and Academy midfielder Ruby Grant, who left for college in the United States. In addition, it is expected that Emma Mitchell will leave the club, while Danielle Carter, who was not named to the Champions League club, has also left Arsenal.
This summer, Arsenal have signed left backs Steph Catley and Noëlle Maritz, who played for Wolfsburg in this season’s Champions League, midfielder Malin Gut, and goalkeeper Lydia Williams. Tim Stillman, who covers Arsenal Women for Arseblog News, also reports that there is likely to be one additional signing. This leaves the squad in the following position:
Arsenal play Paris St. Germain in the quarterfinal on August 22.