Katie Reid: Arsenal’s emerging successor who bears the hallmarks of Leah Williamson.
Daisy Goodhand’s analysis of Arsenal’s latest academy graduate turned first-team star
The depth of Arsenal’s defensive identity has long rested on Leah Williamson. Her anticipation, her ability to step forward into midfield, her leadership. These are qualities that do more than anchor a back line; they set the rhythm for the entire team.
To lose her to injury once again could easily have destabilised Arsenal’s start to the season under Renee Slegers. Instead, what we have seen in the opening weeks is the quiet but convincing emergence of Katie Reid.
After the recent win over Manchester United, Steph Catley summed up the mood inside the squad when she admitted: “We’ve known Katie has been ready to go for a while now.”
It was more than a compliment — it was a recognition that Reid’s elevation into the starting XI was not a gamble, but a natural step forward, an opportunity presented in Williamson’s absence.
Breaking into this Arsenal side as a teenager is never straightforward; the depth of options often keeps even strong prospects on the fringes. With Williamson sidelined, Reid has shown she was not simply filling space, but proving that she belonged.
Reid’s journey has been closely tied to Arsenal from the beginning. She joined the academy aged 13 after playing with a boys’ team, beginning her development as a centre-back, full-back and midfielder for the under-14s before moving permanently into central defence with the under-16s. On 15 April 2024 she made her senior debut for Arsenal in a 5–0 WSL win over Bristol City, replacing Leah Williamson in the final minutes of the game – the biggest gleam on both their faces.
That summer she featured in the 2024 A-Leagues All Stars Women match, a performance Goal.com described as “superb,” and one that set expectations of a breakthrough in the 2024/25 season.
On 1 October 2024 Reid signed her first professional contract with Arsenal at 18; two weeks later, she made her Champions League debut as a substitute against Vålerenga, and come December she made her first competitive start away to the same side.
Each step was incremental and carefully managed, but the trajectory was clear: Arsenal were preparing a young defender not only for minutes, but for responsibility.
