Arsenal have confirmed the appointment of Renee Slegers as their new head coach.

Slegers has been in charge on an interim basis since October following the resignation of Jonas Eidevall.

The Women’s Super League side are third, seven points behind leaders Chelsea.

And after their success, Slegers hopes to kick on and restore the Gunners’ power in women’s football.

Speaking for the first time as permanent manager, he said: “I’m happy to be here now and we all made the decision to go this far.

“I have only seen what the players have been doing and how we have been communicating with the staff and the clubs and the fans. This is included in my decision to seek the job because obviously when I was thrown in, it was sudden, it was unexpected, and I was here to serve the team, but during my time as an interim, it started to grow. .

Here to be with The Arsenal ❤️

Renée Slegers is our permanent head coach. pic.twitter.com/u6j53jBekJ

– Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) January 17, 2025

“You start looking at the long-term stuff and seeing where we’re going as a team and connecting with the fans.

“I think I mentioned the game with Manchester United where we didn’t get three points, we got one point, but we are doing very well and the fans are supporting us and supporting us. I think this has been a difficult time for me too to see, well, there is something we can do here. There is something better we can do. It has been growing in those months.

“Obviously, (interim head coach) is a position I’ve never held, so it’s interesting to see how you react when a head coach leaves suddenly.

“I think that the next day we played with Valerenga so we had to go immediately. So it has been a lot of learning for me, but it has been full of joy. (I am tired) to create a light that is fun, cooperation is very important to try and empower the players, the staff, and it has been fun. I have enjoyed my short time working.”