Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers has signed a new contract through to 2029. The deal Slegers agreed upon being named permanent head coach in January 2025 had been due to expire at the end of the season. “I’m delighted to have signed a new contract here, as I believe we have so much to achieve together this season and in the years to come,” Slegers said in a press release. Arsenal also announced on Friday that Jodie Taylor has been appointed technical director. The former England international, 3
The deal Slegers agreed upon being named permanent head coach in January 2025 had been due to expire at the end of the season.
“I’m delighted to have signed a new contract here, as I believe we have so much to achieve together this season and in the years to come,” Slegers said in a press release.
Arsenal also announced on Friday that Jodie Taylor has been appointed technical director. The former England international, 39, had two spells at the club as a player before moving into the role of technical services manager after her retirement in 2023. Director of women’s football Clare Wheatley said Taylor would “continue to drive progress” in the new role.
“Building on the strong foundations already in place, we want to nurture a high-performance environment where our players, Renee and wider staff have the right tools and the best possible environment to deliver at the highest level,” Taylor said.
Slegers joined Arsenal from FC Rosengard in 2023 and stepped up from her role as assistant coach to take interim charge following Jonas Eidevall’s departure in October 2024. She was given the head coach role permanently after going unbeaten in her first 11 games in charge.
Arsenal won the Champions League with victory over Barcelona in the final during her debut season. The north London side became the first English team to win the competition since their triumph back in 2007.
“Renee has embraced the values and ambitions of Arsenal, driving standards and progress as we aim to compete consistently at the top of the women’s game,” Arsenal chief executive officer Richard Garlick added.
Arsenal won just two of their opening five WSL matches this season and trail leaders Manchester City by eight points. The Athletic reported in November disjointed performances had highlighted wider cultural and structural issues.
Numerous sources close to the team, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, indicated unrest in the dressing room had been persistent for a number of years, with a small group of players wielding significant influence. Questions were also raised over Slegers’ player-management skills and the pathway into the first team for young players. Slegers addressed the report in December, stressing Arsenal is a “high-performance environment” and the club do “really good things” internally.
Arsenal return to action against Manchester United on Saturday.
What does this mean for Arsenal?
Analysis by Megan Feringa and Charlotte Harpur
Slegers’ contract extension and its length are a show of faith and intention from Arsenal’s hierarchy in the young coach.
The Dutchwoman entered the 2025–26 season with her stock at an all-time high after clinching the Champions League title. Talks over a new contract started in the summer but Slegers began the new campaign in the final year of her deal, so getting the deal over the line offers stability for all parties.
The 36-year-old is considered emotionally intelligent and tactically astute but has faced challenges this season. Arsenal have failed to make the most of their chances and draws against Manchester United, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Tottenham have proved costly.
Slegers said after the goalless league draw with Spurs that perhaps expectations had been different heading into the next season. The Champions League triumph showed what they could do at their best, but Slegers heeded they needed to stay “humble” as it was a “one off”.
There have been concerns behind the scenes that the wider strategy buttressing the women’s football project has not been working as seamlessly as it should be. After his departure in October 2025, Slegers’ predecessor Jonas Eidevall told Swedish outlet Aftonbladet this time last year that he found the absence of a sporting director to work with daily “draining” and a reason he left the club.
As the new technical director, Taylor, a pragmatic and strategic operator, will be closer to the dressing room and Slegers’ daily direct point of contact. Taylor’s role is to act as a conduit to ensure greater connection between the recruitment, analysis and technical departments which had previously been lacking. The former Arsenal player, who has her UEFA A coaching license, has already been doing the role for six months and is very familiar with Arsenal’s set-up.
As director of women’s football, Wheatley is moving away from the day-to-day operations and will oversee the heads of departments such as medical, operational and technical. Her role is to future-proof the team and have a seat at the table to influence conversations with different stakeholders at the domestic and international level. Wheatley, who remains across bi-monthly recruitment meetings, will still report to the club CEO Richard Garlick.
One of the key tasks that lies ahead is a squad rebuild. Arsenal have several players aged 30 and above and have at least six players, including captain Kim Little, Leah Williamson, Caitlin Foord, Katie McCabe, Beth Mead, and Manuela Zinsberger, whose contracts expire in six months’ time. Discussions are said to be progressing well with Little and Williamson.
Meanwhile, Mariona Caldentey and Kyra Cooney-Cross have had their options triggered, keeping them at the club until 2027.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Arsenal, Women's Soccer
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