Arsenal Women defender Leah Williamson is nearing a return to full training, with head coach Renée Slegers offering a positive update on her recovery ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League clash with Lyon.
During her pre-match press conference, Slegers said Williamson’s rehabilitation was “going forward as expected” and hinted that the England captain could rejoin full training before the winter international break. “It’s difficult to give an exact date, but we hope to have her back sometime around November or December,” Slegers explained, adding that her progress remains a “day-to-day, week-to-week” process.
The 28-year-old has been sidelined since the early weeks of the season after suffering a knee injury in the Euro 2025 final, which required a minor clean-up surgery. The issue was unrelated to her previous ACL injury sustained in April 2023 against Manchester United but it came just as she was regaining form following a long recovery. Williamson missed last summer’s World Cup due to that ACL tear before returning to play a full 120 minutes in England’s European Championship win over Spain in August.
In her absence, 19-year-old academy product Katie Reid has stepped up impressively as Arsenal balance their Women’s Super League and European commitments.
With key fixtures approaching and the WSL title race heating up, Williamson’s return could deliver a major boost to Arsenal’s ambitions. For now, though, attention turns to Tuesday’s home clash at Boreham Wood, where the Gunners aim to maintain their Champions League momentum still without their captain, but encouraged by signs of her imminent comeback.
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