West Ham United have announced that six first-team players will leave the club on June 30, including captain Mackenzie Arnold and Hawa Cissoko.
The Hammers have confirmed on their club website that Arnold, Cissoko, Honoka Hayashi, Risa Shimizu, Emma Snerle and Abbey-Leigh Stringer will all leave the club after their contracts expire on Sunday.
Australia goalkeeper Matildas Arnold has captained the Irons in her fourth and final season at the club, while French defender Cissoko has been vice-captain for two campaigns since 2022 .
While Arnold and Cissoko leave the club will need a new man on the captaincy next season, there is also a lot of experience lost following the departures of Hayashi, Shimizu, Snerle and Stringer, with This quartet made a total of 183 appearances for the Hammers.
Summer exit marks a new beginning for West Ham Women After finishing second in the Women’s Super League last season, despite being nine points ahead of relegated Bristol City, it was clear the squad needed improvement before a busy summer [Michelle Fers.
, November 19, 2023].
A total of 356 first-team appearances in a defeat on June 30 leaves significant gaps for the Hammers Women’s team next season, including the question of who will lead the team.
While Canadian defender Sheila Zadorsky could make her loan from Tottenham permanent, other reinforcements will be needed for the Irons to avoid having to oversee them next season [Emma Sanders, January 1].
One player who could inherit the captaincy is Kirsty Smith, who is entering her third season at the club and has the second-most appearances in 2023/24 behind Shimizu, Riko Ueki and Viviane Asseyi.
The 30-year-old Scotland international has been a regular on the wing, scoring the opener in a 2-0 win over Brighton in October, and as one of the squad’s most experienced figures, he could be the player to lead the Hammers into the new campaign.
