Beth Mead is set for a prolonged period on the sidelines as she will require surgery after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament.
This means the Arsenal and England star may miss the majority of the rest of the 2022-23 season, and is a serious doubt for the Lionesses 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, ahead of the tournament starting in mind-July. Although fans will be desperate for Mead to win her race against the clock, it looks a tough ask for the Ballon d'Or Feminin runner-up to be fully fit for the biggest tournament on the planet.
Both Jonas Eidevall and Sarina Wiegman 's forward plans will have been derailed by the news of Mead's injury. But who might her managers, both at club and international level, look towards to step in and replace her? Here are the possible contenders, starting with who the Lionesses could be looking at as a replacement.
Katie Robinson - England
It may seem a lot of pressure to put a player with only 10 minutes of international football forward as a replacement for Mead. But young forward Katie Robinson would have already been a wildcard option to Wiegman and Mead's awful luck could give the Brighton star a chance to stake her claim as a regular for the Lionesses.
The England manager first called-up Robinson to the senior squad for the recent double header against Japan and Norway, although she has been on the Lionesses' radar for some time. The 20-year-old won her first cap when coming off the bench late on in the 1-1 draw with Norway and will be keen for more opportunities ahead of next summer's World Cup.
Robinson scored for the Seagulls in their 3-3 draw with Liverpool at the weekend, and was a constant threat to the West Ham defence in a 5-4 win before the international break. If she can maintain her good form at club form, Robinson will certainly be given further chances for England and could her energetic style could be exactly what the Lionesses need to cover for Mead.
Mana Iwabuchi - Arsenal
Japan international and World Cup winner Mana Iwabuchi hasn't spent much time in the spotlight since moving to Arsenal from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021. Although she started impressively with three goals in the Champions League - including a stunning solo goal against PSV - this season has seen her spend a lot of time on the bench.
But this is a player with proven versatility. Although often deployed as a number 10 by her national team, Iwabuchi is more than capable of playing wide on the left as part of the front three.
Eidevall wouldn't have to change his system if Iwabuchi was to replace Mead, in fact the player affectionately known as 'Maradona' is able to use her close control to cut inside from the left in a manner reminiscent of the England star. There is no doubt Mead's injury is a huge blow to the title chasing Gunners, however it could inadvertently kickstart Iwabuchi's season.
Michelle Agyemang - Arsenal
Perhaps unlikely due to her age, but 16-year-old Michelle Agyemang may be needed in the first-team sooner than originally planned after Mead's injury. Agyemang's potential is well-known around the club and she has appeared on the bench on a regular basis for the Gunners in recent weeks, making her WSL debut in the 4-0 win over Leicester.
Having been at the academy since the age of six, this is a player rated very highly by the Arsenal management and although it would be a big ask to immediately start games Agyemang now has a huge chance of getting further opportunities due to Mead's absence.
Eidevall does have other options, helped by Vivianne Miedema's return against Manchester United, but Agyemang was called upon again when Mead was forced off in injury time. The chance to burst onto the scene could be there for Arsenal's latest wonderkid.
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