Club: Arsenal
Position: Defedner
Price: £4.5m
Last Season Points Tally: 62
19-year-old Smilla Holmberg only touched down in the Barclays Women’s Super League in January but still managed to make quite the splash in her first season in an Arsenal shirt. As Fantasy coaches gear up for the start of the 2026/27 season, Holmberg’s razor-sharp instinct and daring attacking runs can provide plenty of reasons why the Swedish defender will tempt managing mavericks.
After transferring from Swedish side Hammarby IF at the start of 2026, Holmberg featured in all but 2 of Arsenal’s BWSL games following the winter break, contributing to their successful Champions League qualification campaign with a season total of 2 goals and 4 assists. Whilst the young right-back had to wait until April to score her first goal, Holmberg put 2 past Leicester City inside 90 minutes as well as providing the perfect corner kick to tee up Leah Williamson’s shot, proving her versatility with a mix of selfless set up plays and a readiness to step up to the plate herself.
For those already scouting for the next Fantasy season, Holmberg could prove to be an invaluable asset; she offers all the attacking flare of a fast-paced young player, whilst having a firm grasp of her vital defensive role in keeping a clean sheet. Over the second half of the BWSL season, Holmberg’s dynamism meant she quickly adapted to become a valuable cog in the Arsenal machine, rapidly graduating from regular substitute to breaking into the starting 11. Holmberg’s fast-paced runs in and out of danger areas and an overall passing accuracy of 84% last season played a key role in securing essential league wins against teams like Tottenham and West Ham, showing glimmers of bravery and finesse that will only grow with each additional cap in the BWSL.
Since starting for Arsenal, the Sweden international has already progressed to beginning to lead waves of attack. Holmberg’s ability to quickly regain and maintain possession is particularly visible when comparing Arsenal’s performance at the end of the last 2 BWSL seasons; in 2024/25, they lost 2 crunch league games in a row in high-scoring defeats, whereas in 2025/26, a series of tighter defensive performances saw Arsenal concede less and go 17 consecutive games without a loss.
Arsenal’s recent siging of Ona Batlle paired with the imminent return of fellow rising star Katie Reid will provide the right pressure for Holmberg to finetune her skills to compete with world class players for a starting position this season. An increased pool of defensive talent will also offer Holmberg the opportunity to learn from World Cup-winning teammates by working collaboratively with top players like Batlle to help create a robust defensive wall.
So, whilst it may be tempting for Fantasy managers to select a team full of established players, for those brave enough to take a chance on an emerging gamechanger like Smilla Holmberg in her first full BWSL season, the riches may be plenty.
