Arsenal's women's team will no longer be called 'Arsenal Ladies' and will instead be referred to as, simply, Arsenal.

In what the club describes as "important and progressive step", the women's team has been formally renamed Arsenal Women Football Club.

However, the club will only use the term 'Arsenal Women' sparingly in order to differentiate the side from the men's team.

"We will wherever possible refer to our Women’s team as, simply, ‘Arsenal’ - just as we do our Men’s team," the club announced on Friday.

"This is a clear signal of togetherness and unity and is more in keeping with modern day thinking on equality.

"For formal purposes we will be renamed as Arsenal Women Football Club.

"The name Arsenal Women will be used sparingly, primarily to avoid any confusion with the men’s team.

"This is an important and progressive step as we embark on the next chapter of our history in women’s football."