Arsenal Women have named four summer signings in their starting XI to face Paris FC at Meadow Park, with Misa Rodriguez, Georgia Stanway, Lisa Baum and Selina Cerci all selected by Renée Slegers.
Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius begin the pre-season friendly on the bench, while Kim Little captains a strong Arsenal side as preparations continue for the new Women’s Super League campaign.
Arsenal Women XI vs Paris FC confirmed
Misa starts in goal following her summer arrival from Real Madrid.
Emily Fox, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Leah Williamson are joined in defence by Smilla Holmberg, while Stanway partners Little in midfield.
Arsenal’s attacking selection is particularly interesting.
Mariona Caldentey and Olivia Smith both start, with summer recruits Baum and Cerci also handed opportunities. Cerci will look to build on scoring her first Arsenal goal during the 3-2 friendly defeat against AC Milan.
Arsenal XI: Misa; Holmberg, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, Fox; Stanway, Little; Mariona, Baum, Smith; Cerci.
Substitutes: Borbe, Damm, Catley, Hinds, Cooney-Cross, Reuteler, Foord, Russo, Blackstenius, Teer-Hutchings, Conway.
One notable absentee is summer signing Ona Batlle, who is not named among either the starters or substitutes. Arsenal have not indicated the reason for her absence.
Slegers gives new Arsenal signings another opportunity
The selection provides another chance to assess a heavily rebuilt Arsenal squad before competitive football returns.
ReadArsenal previously looked at how Arsenal’s summer overhaul has transformed Slegers’ options, with Stanway, Cerci and Baum among a significant group of arrivals.
Arsenal’s official squad page lists seven new first-team additions involved during pre-season, including Misa, Stanway, Cerci, Baum, Batlle, Géraldine Reuteler and Isabella Damm.
Paris FC represent the first of two Meadow Park friendlies in four days, with Arsenal’s official pre-season schedule confirming that Charlton Athletic visit on Wednesday.
Attention now turns to how the new combinations perform, with the WSL opener away at Brighton only two weeks away.
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