Arsenal manager Renee Slegers has welcomed the news that Alessia Russo has committed to a contract extension with the club ahead of the start of the new Women’s Super League season.
The England international signed with Arsenal in the summer of 2023, and Slegers is delighted that they will be working with her in the years to come.
“When I came to the club, Alessia was here,” Slegers said in her pre-match press conference, recalling her arrival at Arsenal as Jonas Eidevall’s assistant in autumn 2023. “She’s such an impressive player to work with. It’s not only what you guys see on the pitch every week, but it’s what she does every single day. We talk a lot about everyday matters, everything we do here in the building, on and off the pitch, and she invests so much.
“You can see all the work she puts in and how it comes out in games. We’re just so proud she’s part of Arsenal. I’m very happy I got the chance to work with her, and I’m also very happy that she extended the contract.
“All the details will stay with us, but we actually had a meeting yesterday. We tried to look at her holistically, so from all aspects of her game. There are so many things to it, but there are details that we want to stretch her on.
“Obviously, she’s on a very high level, but there are still some details we see from all different directions. There are a couple of percentages to win and that’s what we’re going after.”
Alessia Russo: The Arsenal fans are really special
Russo added that it felt “amazing” to sign the new deal, and said that the club’s supporters were a big part of her reason for wanting to stay here.
“The fans are really special. Whenever you come to the Emirates or you come to Borehamwood, whether you’re an Arsenal fan or not, you can feel the relationship and the bond that the players and the fans have. That’s something that I felt when I first signed. They come literally everywhere, no matter when, where, how.
“For me, it’s part of the joy of playing for Arsenal is you get to play for the best fan base in the world. They’re so important to us and so special for us as well.
“They’re a massive part of the club. They’re a massive part of us as teams and as players.”
Arsenal begin their WSL campaign on Saturday, 6th September at the Emirates against London City Lionesses.
