Katie Reid: Arsenal & England's Leah Williamson-like teen who has already won big praise from the Lionesses' captain

Reid has been part of the Arsenal set-up since she was 13 years old, that the age at which she made the switch from playing boys' football to girls' football. "It was interesting because I’d been used to a very quick, very physical game, but with the girls, their tactical understanding was better, their decision-making was better and their manipulation of the ball was better too, so I got to develop that side of my game," she explained earlier this year, in one of Arsenal's matchday programmes.

Having played across the defence and in midfield previously, it was when Reid got to the Under-16s that she would nail down her centre-back position, progressing gradually in that role to the point that she started to be in and around the first team environment aged 15. After getting those opportunities in training, and following a loan spell at Watford in the Championship, Reid then made her first-team debut in April 2024, as a late substitute in victory over Bristol City.

She's also been a regular England youth international throughout her young career, starting every game for the U17s at last summer's European Championships before progressing into the U19s ahead of their equivalent of the tournament earlier this year.

It has been through the summer of 2024 that Reid has really made a name for herself at Arsenal though, starring in a friendly against the A-League Women All-Stars shortly after the end of the 2023-24 campaign and then on the Gunners' pre-season tour of the United States. She was superb when starting the first game of that trip, against the Washington Spirit, and also managed to impress from the bench when Arsenal faced Chelsea a week later.

The teenager's performances led to much praise from fans on social media, where she was dubbed a 'clone' of Williamson and the '2.0' version of the England captain, and also from head coach Jonas Eidevall. "That doesn't come from overnight and her being up one week training with the first team," he said. "She's been involved on and off for the last two years and I think the level of her performance, it comes from that cooperation. It was really nice to see."

After getting another start in the team's final pre-season match, at home to Southampton, Eidevall confirmed that Reid would be staying with the team for at least the first half of the 2024-25 season, rather than going out on loan. That's because, with Amanda Ilestedt announcing her pregnancy back in March, there is a real chance for the teenager to get minutes in the first team.

It'll be tough, as she's competing with two England stars in Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy, and a World Cup winner in Laia Codina, but Eidevall believes Reid can contribute to his side in the coming months.

"As always in Arsenal, we look globally and say what can we bring in?" he explained at last week's WSL season launch, talking about the process he and his staff went through after hearing Ilestedt's news. "But when we looked at options and what we had in front of us, we kept coming back to Katie Reid. Everything she does and everything we see when we see her play, she deserves a chance to be in the squad. You really see what a talented footballer she is and that she fully deserves a place in our squad."

Having come through the Arsenal academy set-up, it's no surprise that one of Reid's biggest strengths is her technical ability, with her able to contribute effectively when the team is in possession. She's a strong and determined defender too, as was abundantly evident when she went toe-to-toe with Chelsea star Mayra Ramirez in pre-season. The Colombia international usually dominates her opponents, but the 17-year-old stood up tall and was not afraid of that individual battle whatsoever.

One thing that has impressed her team-mates in particular is how clear-minded she is in her decision-making. Some young players could be overwhelmed by the opportunities Reid has received in recent months, but she doesn't look to be, instead able to show remarkable composure when she needs to act. That has certainly stood out to Codina, who immediately pointed to how "calm" she is when GOAL asked about the teenager.

"I think that for her age, she doesn't seem to be 17, so it's something that impressed me a lot," Codina explained. "I also really like to try to help her if she has questions and I'm sure that she also can teach me some things, and I will be happy for it."

Though she does not have any major flaws in her well-rounded and impressive game, as someone with limited experience of the top level, there are still plenty of things that Reid will learn as she begins her senior career. Eidevall has pointed this out himself, urging patience when he told reporters after the game against Southampton: "She is a young player so we can’t expect her to have a high level consistently, all the time."

There will be mistakes, especially given the style Arsenal play, and there will be moments that the defender can look back on and understand where she could've done better. But that's all part of the process and getting the game time, and thus the chance to learn, will help her realise her exciting potential.

Because of her technical ability, it's easy to point to Williamson as a reference for Reid. Both typify the Arsenal style with their comfort playing out from the back and how they can contribute in possession. There's no better role model for Reid to have at this moment and it's obvious from the way Williamson speaks about the 17-year-old that she is willing to be that mentor and guide her through these exciting first steps in the senior side.

There are signs, however, that Reid may develop into an even more dominant one-v-one defender than Williamson. Her physical profile lends itself to those battles in a more natural way, which is something you don't often say about young centre-backs coming through. The teenager is already ready to go toe-to-toe with the most demanding opponents and that is hugely positive for her chances of getting more minutes for the Gunners.

Eidevall has kept Reid around for the start of the 2024-25 season because he believes she has a part to play in his Arsenal team. Now, it is up to her to continue to work hard for those opportunities and when they come her way, take them. Again, it won't be easy to earn starting berths, as she does sit fourth in the centre-back pecking order, but if the Gunners can progress to the Champions League group stage, Eidevall will be keen to rotate his XI and would clearly trust the 17-year-old to play.

What has been seen of Reid's talent and attitude so far suggests that she has what it takes to be a future star for Arsenal and England, as do the regular ringing endorsements from players of the calibre of Williamson and Codina. But it is when the competitive action begins and how she fares in the big moments that will act as a more accurate test of her credentials.

Over the next few months, we should get a real chance to see what Reid is all about, and there is little reason at this point to doubt her ability to thrive.