Laura Woods was ecstatic about a charming present from Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta as she anticipates the birth of her first child. The expectant mum and TNT Sport host was proposed to by partner Adam Collard in September, following their pregnancy announcement in July.
Laura gushed over her engagement in an Instagram post: “And just like that… You make me happy @adamcollard. Thank you @carbisbayestate – the place we fell in love and now the place we got engaged, you made it so special. What a summer x.”
Woods received an endearing surprise from her beloved Arsenal. She posted a video capturing a heart-warming interaction with Arteta after a significant victory for Arsenal over Monaco, where he presented her with a red, team-branded bag.
She expressed her excitement on Instagram with the caption “my club,” adding, “this was amazing, thank you”.
Woods unveiled the contents—an Arsenal onesie adorned with the team’s emblem—which she found “too cute”. Laura and Collard initially revealed their relationship in October 2023.
Collard, who previously appeared on Love Island, shared his aspirations to build a future with Laura, aged 37, stressing his instinctive desire to care for those close to him: “I’m protective, whether it’s Laura, or my family, my friends.
“I want to get married. I want to have kids as well. I’ve always thought, what type of person will I be? How can I protect my kids?
“Obviously I’ve never had a kid, but I don’t think I’ll be plastering it all over [social media]. I want them to have a fair fight and a chance not to be judged straight away.
“As long as my really close circle knows exactly who I am, I don’t care. I think you have to take everything with a pinch of salt.”
Woods is also keenly anticipating another ‘present’ from Arsenal this weekend: three points against Everton.
The team will head back into Premier League combat at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon, aiming for a victory that would be monumental in their pursuit of the title. With Arteta’s squad currently sitting third, they find themselves six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool.
An Arsenal win coupled with favourable results elsewhere could see them significantly close the gap on the top spot as Chelsea host Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.
