'It gives you the belief' - Lionesses stars Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy 'inspiring' Arsenal's academy products as another homegrown star signs first pro deal

On Tuesday, teenage defender Katie Reid became the latest Arsenal academy product to sign a professional contract at the club. Reid enjoyed a wonderful pre-season campaign that helped convince head coach Jonas Eidevall to keep her around as part of the first team this season, rather than sending her out on loan.

She is the latest centre-back to come off the Arsenal conveyor belt, following the likes of Williamson and Wubben-Moy into the first team from the academy. The England duo are an example to players like Reid that, while the Gunners are a big team competing for the biggest prizes, there is a pathway through the club for youngsters, too.

Upon signing her first pro deal, Reid opened up on the influence of Williamson and Wubben-Moy's journeys from the academy. "They're honestly so inspiring because it's just gives you the belief that it can happen to you," she told the Arsenal website. "You work so hard in academy football to get to these places and they show that ultimately, your dream can come true. It's really exciting."

Asked if there are any centre-backs that she has modelled her game on to this point, Reid again pointed to that homegrown duo. "I have to say Leah, just because everything that she does on the pitch is something I look up to," she explained. "But you've also got the likes of Lotte as well, coming through the academy. All the centre-backs here, they're so good at different things so I just want to take bits from their game and just try improve my overall game as much as possible."

Arsenal are a centre-back down for the time being, after Sweden international Amanda Ilestedt gave birth to her first child just last month. While Eidevall waits for her to be ready for selection again, Reid has become the Gunners' fourth-choice centre-back - behind Williamson, Wubben-Moy and World Cup winner Laia Codina - and she is likely to earn minutes through rotation after the club qualified for the Champions League group stage.

Reid's importance to Arsenal is even higher at the moment, as Williamson has missed the last two games while in concussion protocol. The Gunners will hope to have her available again when they kick-off that European group phase with a trip to Bayern Munich next week, with full-back Steph Catley and forward Lina Hurtig also currently sidelined.