Jessie Fleming will be a key figure for the Chelsea Women in 2022/23

The FA Cup and the Women’s Super League titles are in the bag, and while there’s still time to bask in the glory, team-building ahead of next season is looming on Emma Hayes’ agenda. One of the greatest players in the history of the Women’s Super League and Chelsea Football Club, Ji So-yun, has left Kingsmeadow for a new chapter back in her home country. The question that must be asked is: who is going to be able to fill these massive shoes? Her dynamic skillset made her invaluable, but in order for the club to maintain its success, it needs to find the next person up in that midfield.

The good thing about a club that supports its women’s team as much as the men’s team is that it is always looking for the next great player. In July 2020, Jessie Fleming came from the United States to Chelsea after a storied college career at UCLA. Despite not having much of an impact in her first season with the Blues, Fleming made her mark on the international level with the Canada. Not only did she score the winning goal against America in the Olympics to send Canada to the gold medal match, she is becoming a regular in the midfield for Beverly Priestman. This is a role she’s expected to take on with Chelsea in the coming season.

Midfielder Jessie Fleming will be key for the Chelsea Women next season

When she made her decision to head over to England after college, Emma Hayes spoke on her excitement about Fleming’s arrival:

"“Jessie is one of the top young players in the world so for us to beat a lot of other clubs to her signature is a testament to the work that has been done here for a number of years … Jessie chose Chelsea, this was her priority, her first choice and we are over the moon to get her … Jessie has got the ability between both boxes to run the show … I think she’s got a number of different positions in her…She’s a young player still developing and with the quality of players that we have, we will see this is a player that is going to be one of the top players in the world.”"

Due to her performances and versatility, Hayes utilized Fleming’s talents more than she did in the previous season. The excitement of her arrival back in 2020 is coming to fruition with her excellent play this past season, and the departures that have become official. With the talents of Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder and Erin Cuthbert in the attack, Fleming will continue to absorb more and more knowledge from the veterans.

In her first season, Fleming played in 14 matches, and only started in three. This past season, as her game continued to evolve, Fleming finished tied for fourth on the team in goals with Harder, and Fran Kirby. She played the second-most matches on the entire team along with Jess Carter and Millie Bright at 21. Furthermore, she elevated her starts from three to 11 with the hope of becoming more and more involved. From her stunning goal to seal the deal against Tottenham to her goal to break the deadlock against Reading late in the season, Fleming played an important role in Chelsea’s journey to three straight titles. But she will look to play an even bigger one in the club’s search for a mind-boggling fourth consecutive WSL trophy.

Fleming is a box-to-box midfielder that has the ability to control a match. Fleming’s experience on the international level—alongside players like Christine Sinclair, Desiree Scott and Quinn—give her even more tools to raise her game when she returns to Kingsmeadow. With the 2021/22 season now at its conclusion, and the 2022/23 season on the horizon, Fleming’s importance and ability to play a multitude of positions cannot be stressed enough. At the young age of 24, Fleming was born in the city of London, Canada in Ontario, so there is no doubt she was meant to make a difference for a club in the English capital.

As the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifiers begin in the beginning of July, Fleming will have her eyes set on helping Canada top a competitive Group B. With plenty of women’s international football on the docket for the summer, Chelsea fans should turn their eyes to the CONCACAF to see some of its players of the future. The legends of the past got the Blues into the position to contend with the top teams in Europe, and the next generation is now ready to take the reins.

The dynamism that Fleming has shown with Canada has not been put on full display at Kingsmeadow. The knowledge she absorbed from a player like Ji will benefit her greatly as her influence on the pitch for Chelsea will be taken to a whole new level. That is why Hayes brought her in. Get her in the system for a few years, and when the veterans decide it is time to move on, Fleming will be slotted into that same role almost seamlessly. Even though it may be a long summer filled with some changes, Blues fans should be confident that a young player as dynamic as Fleming can help sustain the same winning path despite some absences.

How do you think Fleming will perform in a bigger role? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!