Arsenal Women's summer transfer window is being analyzed for what could have been, following a record-breaking period for the women's game. The club, which finished second in the FA Women's Super League last season, was linked with several high-profile moves that ultimately did not materialize, as reported by ESPN Soccer this week.
FIFA confirmed the scale of the market, stating, "there were more international transfers (1,406) and for more money ($28.6 million) in women's soccer this summer than ever before." Arsenal's own business included signing Ona Batlle and Georgia Stanway on free transfers, but the narrative also includes significant near-misses.
Which players were linked with Arsenal Women?
One of the most notable names connected to a potential move to North London was Salma Paralluelo. The 22-year-old forward, a proven stat machine with 10+ goal contributions in the league over each of the last three seasons, joined OL Lyonnes on a free transfer. This came just two months after she scored a brace against them in the UEFA Women's Champions League final. Her arrival could have addressed a clear need for Arsenal, who saw Caitlin Foord struggle to produce game-changing moments in the final third last season, managing only two goal contributions in the WSL.
Another defensive reinforcement that was speculated about was Mapi León. The experienced defender left Barcelona after nine years and joined London City Lionesses. León's aggressive defending and incredible vision and passing range were seen as qualities that could have bolstered Arsenal's pressing game and helped address depth issues that plagued their title challenge.
How does this affect Arsenal's squad depth?
Arsenal's pursuit of the WSL title last season was derailed by injuries and a lack of squad depth. The club lost club captain Leah Williamson and young center back Katie Reid to injuries, while Katie McCabe departed for Chelsea this summer. These absences exposed a vulnerability that new signings were meant to patch. The club finished the 2025 campaign in second place with 51 points from 22 games, scoring 53 goals and conceding just 14 for a +39 goal difference. You can view the full standings for last season's table.
Despite these challenges, the team showed strong form, ending the season with a run of WWWDW. However, they ultimately finished four points behind champions Manchester City W, whose striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw scored 40% of their goals. Strengthening the attacking and defensive lines was therefore a clear priority.
What were the other major moves in the window?
The summer saw a domino effect of moves across Europe's top clubs. Alexia Putellas, the 32-year-old midfielder, joined London City Lionesses after leaving Barcelona. Bayern Munich, who lost to Putellas's Barcelona in last season's UWCL semifinals, also saw Georgia Stanway depart for Arsenal and Arianna Caruso leave for Real Madrid. Real Madrid themselves have a gap at right back after letting Sheila García go.
OL Lyonnes, who signed Paralluelo, also lost Lindsey Horan to Denver Summit FC. Their squad under Jonathan Giraldez is considered unbalanced between offence and defence, a gap a player like Stanway could have filled. Elsewhere, Sam Kerr joined Gotham FC after leaving Chelsea, and Kadidiatou Diani moved to London City Lionesses from Lyon for a reported £500,000. Diani has scored 15 or more times in all competitions in three of the last four years.
Where does Arsenal go from here?
With the new season approaching, manager Jonas Eidevall will integrate his new signings, Stanway and Batlle, into a squad that came agonizingly close to success last term. The Gunners were on the cusp of making back-to-back UEFA Women's Champions League finals. The current squad list shows a mix of experience and youth ready to mount another challenge. The primary objective will be closing the four-point gap to Manchester City, and the club's activity in the transfer market, both completed and missed, will be a major factor in that quest. Arsenal's first pre-season fixtures are now available on the club's official fixtures page.
