Arsenal rebuild for European bid

Arsenal LFC will have a different look for their UEFA Women's Cup bid this year with the arrival of two English internationals and a serious injury to captain Faye White.

White woe
The English champions, who will enter in September's second qualifying round against Brøndby IF and two teams to be determined, will be without defender White for most of the season after she damaged an anterior cruciate ligament in a friendly against Bristol City LFC. White will also miss England's remaining 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers against the Netherlands and France with only four points needed to send Hope Powell's team to China.

Carney and Chapman sign
However, two England players have joined the 2005/06 UEFA Women's Cup quarter-finalists. First to arrive was 18-year-old winger Karen Carney from Birmingham City LFC, voted England's young player of the year in each of the last two seasons. Then the signing was announced of defender Katie Chapman from Charlton Athletic LFC, who pushed Arsenal close in England last season.

Fleeting joins Valur
Leaving Arsenal - but only for one month - is recently-married striker Julie Fleeting, who has gone on loan to Icelandic leaders Valur Reykjavík but will be back in time for the 2006/07 English and European campaigns. The prolific Scotland forward is one of the ten leading all-time scorers in women's international football and despite injury last season struck 17 goals in 15 Arsenal appearances.