New Aston Villa Women manager Natalia Arroyo says it’s an “honour” to join the club and lead its exciting project.

She will take over from interim manager Shaun Goater, who had replaced Robert de Pauw last month. Under Goater, Villa picked up in form, winning three games in a row against Charlton Athletic, West Ham and Bristol Rovers before drawing at Everton last time out. They scored 17 goals across those matches.

“It feels great, I’m super excited,” she said on Villa TV. “It’s an honour to be here, to join this club and I can’t wait to start working with the team, being in the city and to start training. I am really happy.”

READ MORE: What Emi Martinez did after Arsenal draw as Ollie Watkins responds to lazy critics

READ MORE: Women's Football News January Edition: The Year of the Lioness?

READ | Jhon Duran transfer update as Aston Villa respond to £63m bid amid Saudi Pro League claim

READ | Emi Buendia transfer latest: Unai Emery comments, River Plate truth and Leeds stance

She added: “It’s an historic club. It’s a club that has a great project and that has a good present but a good vision to a better future and I feel confident and I feel great to be a coach that helps a team to grow and I think that we are in this great point where there are great things that have been done already but I can help to make the club take the next step.

“I really felt great from the first conversation, I like the squad, and I like the club. I am ready to help. I know coming during the season with a lot of matches played already and with less time than joining during the summer you need to adapt and try to change little things so there is not a big revolution or a big change.

“But I need to push with new energy, with new ideas and with little changes so that these great performances that the team have been doing can be transformed to results. That is the mission, we know that we need points and to be better in the table.

“I really want to talk with the players and share with them my ideas and concepts. I really want to meet them, see them training and ask about tactics, their positions and roles and where they feel better. I will try to improve them and we have a talented squad. We have young players but also experience, which will help me also.”

Arroyo: I wanted a new challenge

Arroyo’s tenure at Real Sociedad concluded at the end of the 2023-24 season, having guided them to the Copa de la Reina final.

In her debut season, she secured a fifth-place finish in Liga F before clinching second place the following campaign, earning a Champions League spot. The former defender had a professional career with Barcelona and Espanyol, retiring in 2009.

“After four great years in Spain I really wanted a new challenge,” she added. “I needed a big, big league and a competitive league and England is the best one. It is really attractive, there are big stadiums and big crowds.

“I have been watching almost every game since summer to get as much information as possible, so I don’t feel like a stranger.”

Man City up next

Arroyo’s first game in charge will be when Villa face champions Chelsea at Villa Park next weekend, but before that, Goater will take charge of his final game on Saturday.

Last season's WSL runners-up Man City will head to the Midlands this weekend looking to climb the table after falling away from leaders Chelsea.. City came back from behind to defeat Villa earlier this season and manager Gareth Taylor is wary of their threat.

"They have a new manager in place, but it will probably still be Shaun taking the team," he said. "I think they would have slightly changed things to what Robert was doing previously in terms of what we have seen.

"If I take myself back to that game regardless, I thought we were excellent and we had lots of control. We limited Villa to very little and conceded from one of the chances they had.

"We were outstanding that day. Similar to the Liverpool game at Anfield, you are so satisfied with turning the result around. Even missing some key players, those are the levels what we want to get back to."