Arsenal manager Renee Sleges has signed a new contract until 2029.
Slegs agreed to be named permanent head coach in January 2025, with the agreement scheduled to expire at the end of the season.
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“I’m delighted to have signed a new contract here as I believe we can achieve a lot together this season and in the years to come,” Slegers said in a release.
Arsenal also announced the appointment of Jodie Taylor as technical director on Friday. The 39-year-old former England international had two spells with the club as a player before retiring in 2023 as technical services manager. Director of women’s football Claire Whitley said Taylor would “continue to drive progress” in her new role.
Taylor said: “Building on the strong foundations we already have, we want to foster a high-performance environment where our players, Renee and the wider staff have the right tools and the best environment to achieve at the highest level.”
Slegers joined Arsenal from Rosengård FC in 2023 and took over as head coach on an interim basis from an assistant position following the departure of Jonas Edvarr in October 2024. After going unbeaten in her first 11 games in charge, she became head coach on a permanent basis.
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In her first season, Arsenal won the Champions League, beating Barcelona in the final. The north London side became the first English team to win the competition since winning the title in 2007.
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick added: “Renee has embraced Arsenal’s values and ambitions, driving standards and progress as we aim to continue to compete in women’s football.”
Arsenal have won just two of their first five games in the WSL this season and are eight points behind leaders Manchester City. Competitor It was reported in November that the disjointed performance highlighted wider cultural and structural issues.
Unrest in the locker room has been going on for years, with a small group of players wielding significant influence, according to multiple sources close to the team who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their relationships. Questions have also been raised about Slagers’ player management skills and the pathway for young players to break into the first team. Sleges addressed the report in December, stressing that Arsenal was a “high-performing environment” and that “really good things” were done within the club.
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Arsenal will face Manchester United on Saturday.
What does this mean for Arsenal?
Analysis by Megan Ferringa and Charlotte Harpur
Slegs’ contract extension and its length demonstrate the confidence and intent of Arsenal’s hierarchy in the young coach.
The Dutchwoman’s share price hit an all-time high heading into the 2025-26 season after winning the Champions League. Negotiations for a new contract began this summer, but with Slegers starting a new campaign in the final year of his contract, getting the deal done provides stability for all parties.
The 36-year-old is regarded as emotionally intelligent and tactically astute but has faced challenges this season. Arsenal failed to make the most of their chances, with draws against Manchester United, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Tottenham proving costly.
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Slegers said expectations for next season may be different after a goalless draw with Tottenham in the league. The Champions League victory showed they can be the best they can be, but Slagers noted they needed to remain “humble” as it was a “one-off”.
There are concerns behind the scenes that the wider strategy to support the women’s football program is not working as smoothly as it should. Following his departure in October 2025, Slagers’ predecessor Jonas Edvall told Swedish outlet Aftonbladet this time last year that he found a lack of a sporting director to deal with the “draining” day-to-day work, which was why he left the club.
As the new technical director, Taylor, a pragmatic and strategic operator, will be closer to the dressing room and Slagers’ daily direct touch points. Taylor’s role is to act as a conduit, ensuring that connections between recruiting, analytics and technology departments are made that were previously lacking. The former Arsenal player holds a UEFA A-level coaching license, has been in the position for six months and is very familiar with Arsenal’s squad.
As director of women’s football, Whitley will no longer be responsible for day-to-day operations and will oversee heads of departments including medical, operations and technology. Her role is to future-proof the team and influence conversations with different stakeholders at national and international levels. Wheatley remains involved in bi-monthly recruitment meetings and will still report to club chief executive Richard Garlick.
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One of the key tasks for the future is team reconstruction. Arsenal have several players aged 30 and over and at least six players, including captain Kim Little, Leah Williamson, Kaitlyn Forde, Katie McCabe, Beth Mead and Manuela Hinsberger, are out of contract in six months. Discussions with Little and Williamson are said to be going well.
Meanwhile, Mariona Caldentey and Kyra Cooney-Cross’ options have been triggered and they will remain at the club until 2027.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
arsenal, women’s football
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