Just a few days ago, Emma Hayes made the first move required to elevate her team to the next level following a second consecutive league and cup double. With a few departures from some essential veteran assets, Hayes went out and acquired the former Lyon and Bordeaux right back Eve Perisset on a three-year deal. Perisset has been an integral member of the French National Team since 2016 and she now looks to be one of the leaders in the upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup. She comes to Chelsea at the age of 27, and while she is only 5-foot-3, Perisset plays a whole lot bigger than her size shows. She is known as one of the most reliable defenders in Division 1 Feminine who has the ability to push up into the midfield if needed.
Perisset possesses speed, quick decision-making and a multitude of international experience that Hayes values a whole lot when trying to get over the hump in the Champions League. Playing in the same division as the defending European Champions and having won the Champions League before with Lyon, Perisset brings exactly what Chelsea was looking to add during this transfer window. She is versatile, capable and she has been there and done that at the highest stage in the world. Hayes knows the time is now to win the biggest tournament in the world, and bringing in Perisset is Chelsea’s first step toward reaching that goal.
What does new signing Eve Perisset bring to the Chelsea Women’s team?
After she sealed the deal with the Blues, Perisset expressed her thoughts stating:
"“It’s a fantastic honour to join Chelsea and to be the first French female player to become a Blue … I am very thankful for the opportunity that has been given to me … The time was right for me to make this big move to London and join the English Super League and I cannot wait to meet the team and the fans later this summer at Kingsmeadow and at the famous Stamford Bridge!”"
Last season seems extremely difficult to top title-wise as the Blues added two more to the trophy case at Kingsmeadow. It has been clear from the off to the new ownership that Hayes wants to win the Champions League. Ever since coming to London to replace Matt Beard, Hayes has developed a demanding, winning identity that is unmatched in the English women’s game. Bringing in a player like Perisett—who has seen it all at the international level and the club—just adds to the competition within the team and the winning culture that is already present.
Jonna Andersson, who has been arguably the most versatile player in the back for Chelsea during the past few seasons, has departed to head back to her home country of Sweden and play for Hammarby IF. With her gone and the youth in the back line (excluding Millie Bright), Hayes needed to add another piece that would secure a position of concern given the growth of the young forwards in the Women’s Super League.
The strength of the Blues is in the middle of the pitch. They have Jessie Fleming growing into the player Hayes knew she would be when she signed from UCLA, Erin Cuthbert with her quality and experience and the PFA Women’s Player of the Year, Sam Kerr, leading the charge. Jess Carter showed a lot of promise this past season as she evolved into a lockdown defender, making it almost a simple choice for Hayes to put out her traditional 3-4-3 formation with Perisset, Guro Reiten or even Niamh Charles running the flanks above the centerbacks.
With Magdalena Eriksson or Aniek Nouwen as one of the three in the back along with Carter and Bright, Perisset has the ability to move up and demonstrate the attacking prowess that Chelsea has been missing from both sides of the pitch. Reiten is developing into one of the best attacking players in the women’s game, but having another elite and experienced player on the other side of her makes the defending WSL Champions even more dangerous. Perisset fits into this Chelsea formation almost perfectly.
Pre-season training begins sooner rather than later, so Hayes has plenty of time to keep bringing in even more assets. She wants to help foster the development of some of the younger players on top of bringing in some of the best talent the women’s game has to offer. Fleming and Lauren James are no doubt the future and represent how the Blues can reach the next level, but the combination of Perisset and Reiten on the wings could make for a duo that no WSL manager wants to see on a week-to-week basis. The quality and talent that Hayes demands at the club is astounding. Seeing the new ownership back her for the first time is a positive sign moving forward for the advancement of the Chelsea Women in the foreseeable future.
What do you make of Perisset’s signing? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!