30 September 2023 , 12:39
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England striker Beth Mead has confirmed she is back in full training "completely" ahead of Arsenal’s Women’s Super League opener against Liverpool on Sunday.
Mead has been forced to a cruel football existence on the sidelines since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament last November during the WSL defeat to Manchester United. After a rollicking Euro 2022 campaign in which Mead seized the tournament’s MVP and Golden Boot awards, the injury brutally interrupted the otherwise blistering upward trajectory of the striker's career.
Faced with a race against time ahead of the summer’s World Cup, the 28-year-old was one of many high-profile women's footballers forced to sit out of the showpiece event as her recovery from the ACL injury continued.
But in a huge boost to the Gunners hopes to restore their domestic dominance, Mead has now revealed she is back in full training sessions with the rest of her Arsenal team-mates as she looks to make her long-awaited return to the field.
Mead, who was named in Arsenal ’s matchday squads during their Champions League qualifiers earlier this month, told the club's website: “It's one step at a time with this injury. You get integrated into little different sections of training and now I'm back in completely.
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“I'm like a kid at Christmas running around and playing again! Ultimately, getting fit and getting myself in the best shape and sharpness possible for the season is my main aim."
She added: "I am chomping at the bit to get on that pitch. I've worked hard to get to this point, so I can't wait for the season to get going. I can't wait to put that shirt back on and hopefully help Arsenal to an amazing season."
Mead’s declaration arrives after manager Jonas Eidevall issued an injury update of his own, even hinting that Mead’s return to the competitive fray (nearly 11 months on) could coincide with Arsenal’s opening match at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
"We still have another training session to do," he said. "But she's getting very, very close." Arsenal were active in the summer transfer window as they looked to strengthen their attacking ranks after a season in which injuries decimated Eidevall’s depth.
The arrival of Canadian winger Cloe Lacasse has meant that competition for Mead’s spot on the right flank has increased, but the Lioness relishes the challenge. "The competitiveness has gone through the roof since we've got the depth within the squad,” she said. “Cloe and I are gonna compete hard this season for the right-wing spot.
"Cloe's amazing one-on-one, she pushes me in training and I've got to be better in that sense coming back and vice versa for her. I think that's going to be a really, really good battle."