Stanway is emblematic of Arsenal\u2019s summer of change, one of seven signings so far. Meanwhile, Lotte Wubben-Moy<\/a>, a lifelong fan who joined Arsenal\u2019s academy at 13, represents the core and culture that is a point of focus at the club. It is a culture players want to be a part of, so much so it leads to getting a tattoo on day one of being there. \u201cShe has set a very high bar,\u201d says Wubben-Moy, with a grin. \u201cThat\u2019s Georgia. She goes all in and I like\u00a0that.\u201d<\/p>\n Wubben-Moy is ready to stake a claim in Arsenal\u2019s starting XI after struggling to nail down a position in defence despite having performed exceptionally well when covering for injured players. \u201cI\u2019ve always felt ready,\u201d says the 27-year-old. \u201cWhen I get my moment, I deliver. Historically, as a club, we\u2019re built on defensive solidity. If we have a solid defence, it allows us to create and score. That should be the stepping stone towards victories. So I will continue to contribute to the defensive solidity in whatever way, shape or form that is. But I want my spot.\u201d<\/p>\n Lotte Wubben-Moy lifts the Champions Cup trophy during the Arsenal trophy parade in May. Photograph: Alex Burstow\/Arsenal FC\/Getty Images<\/p>\n There was widespread recognition that Arsenal\u2019s squad needed a revamp, that the age needed to be lowered and changes made if they were going to take the next step. That meant big names leaving, most notably Beth Mead<\/a> and Katie McCabe<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re both absolute legends of the game and we have so much respect for them,\u201d says Jodie Taylor, the former Arsenal striker who became the club\u2019s technical director in January. \u201cBut we always knew this window was going to come with some changes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChange is inevitable in women\u2019s football,\u201d says Wubben-Moy. \u201cIf you speak to a player and they don\u2019t say they\u2019re nimble, you\u2019ve got someone that\u2019s not built for the game. We\u2019ve become a nimble team, a team that can move with the ebb and flow of women\u2019s football.<\/p>\n Beth Mead left in a busy summer for Arsenal. Photograph: Rhianna Chadwick\/PA<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not just within the playing group, it\u2019s something replicated within the staff, the boardroom, the commercial team, the comms team. Everyone is so willing to move and to dictate what we want.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019d asked me about change four or five years ago, I\u2019d have been a bit intimidated, but now I know what to do and I\u2019m part of the driver of it. The opportunity we have and that I see for us as a team, as a collective, is something that really excites me.\u201d<\/p>\n Arsenal\u2019s approach to Stanway\u2019s recruitment was a contributing factor to her wanting to join the club. \u201cArsenal came in early doors,\u201d she says. \u201cI really enjoyed they were super loyal from the beginning and wanted me even when I wasn\u2019t available. It\u2019s a nice feeling being wanted.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Moving the Goalposts<\/p>\n No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women\u2019s football<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n \u201cThe last four years in Munich were unbelievable, but I knew I wanted to take the next step and I felt at Arsenal there was an opportunity for me to be able to progress, to make my game better and to play with world-class players.\u201d<\/p>\n Arsenal have done most of their business early, with Stanway joined by experienced internationals Selina Cerci<\/a>, G\u00e9raldine Reuteler, Ona Batlle<\/a> and Misa Rodr\u00edguez<\/a>, as well as young talents Lisa Baum and Isabella Damm. No major international tournament and seven signings in for day one of pre-season is a big boost for Ren\u00e9e Slegers and her coaching staff, particularly after two seasons of slow starts to domestic campaigns.<\/p>\n \u201cThe market is not easy, though, it\u2019s constantly changing and the pool of elite talent is small and several clubs are fishing from it,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cYou try and plan as much as you can, but you also have to be reactive in the market. We\u2019re always trying to keep an eye on the future, but we have to be quite agile.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can talk about positional needs, qualities, ages and succession planning, but if a player\u2019s not available or they just don\u2019t exist, it can be like trying to fit square pegs and round holes. As well as looking at current needs and positional profiles, we talk a lot about our core style of play, but we also want to play with variety, be unpredictable and have different qualities in players too.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Arsenal striker Jodie Taylor, now technical director, is leading the strong recruitment this summer. Photograph: Zuma Press\/Alamy<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785094870_641_500.jpg\")
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