Arsenal and Lioness star Leah Williamson withdraws from England international squad

It's international break this week with England back in action just over two months after their 6-0 triumph over Scotland. This win, however huge it looked, was still not enough to see them reach the next round of the Nations League, or qualify as TeamGB for the Paris Olympics.

Sarina Wiegman's side will, however, prepare to take on Austria and Italy in two international friendlies in what the Lioness boss has called the start of their Euros 2025 campaign.

Fans around the country had been jumping for joy at seeing the return of one Leah Williamson to the squad. The Lioness Euros-winning captain has been out of action since last April due to an ACL injury but was set to make her return to the international squad this break.

However, the Arsenal centre-back has now had to pull out of the squad after it emerged she had sustained a hamstring injury. Manchester United's Millie Turner has been named as her replacement.

Williamson, 26, was absent from the Gunners 3-1 win over Manchester United on Saturday which saw the a new record WSL attendance set with 60,160 fans at the Emirates. Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall said Williamson's injury was "really minor" but also noted she would be "likely" to withdraw from the national squad.

The Arsenal star made her comeback to the pitch in January but is yet to play a full 90 minutes, featuring as a substitute in a 6-0 League Cup win at Reading. She also played the first half of Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to West Ham on 4 February.

Arsenal will still be well represented in the Lioness squad with Beth Mead, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Alessia Russo all featuring in Wiegman's 23-person squad. The Lionesses will first take on Austria this Friday, 23 February, before facing Italy on Tuesday 27 February with both matches taking place at the Nuevo Mirador in Algeciras.