Even in the midst of the European Championships, the Chelsea Women continue to add talent to their roster. The Blues confirmed their fourth signing of the summer, agreeing to a contract with former Sheffield United attacking midfielder, Lucy Watson. The 18-year-old is one of the most promising young players in the English international system. Watson moved from the Doncaster Belles in the middle of the season in 2020 to Sheffield United, and she made her debut at the Championship level with the Blades at the age of 16. Last season, the U19 English international netted eight goals to go along with five assists in 22 matches in the league.
Due to the depth of the squad, Watson will get the chance to learn from the likes of Erin Cuthbert, Jessie Fleming and other world class players in order to take her game to the next level. The minutes on the pitch for the youngster may be limited, but she has shown in the past on the professional level that she can finish and create chances for the teammates around her. Hopefully, she is able to find more success than Scottish winger Jamie-Lee Napier at Chelsea when she came to the club at 19 years old and was looked at as one of UEFA’s more promising players. Napier now plays for the London City Lionesses in the Championship, and if anything is in Watson’s favor, it is that she has played English football before.
The Chelsea Women make Lucy Watson their fourth summer signing
In a statement released by the club’s official site, Emma Hayes expressed her thoughts on the fourth signing this summer, stating:
"“Lucy is one of the best young attacking players in the country, so we are delighted that she has joined the club … We have followed Lucy’s development for some time since her at time at Donny Belles, where Paul Green had coached previously and it’s clear she has natural talent and ability. Lucy has developed really well at Sheffield United and we now feel she is ready to make the next step. In the short term, we’ll be looking to send her out on loan for the forthcoming season to ensure she gains valuable game time.”"
She made 11 appearances last season in the league when she was still just 17 years old. She has also played WSL competition—like Tottenham—due to overlapping competitions like the FA Cup. As a very confident, and attack-minded player, Watson has the ability to make something out of nothing. Her age may say 18, but in reality, Watson has been through and competed against top-level young talent on the international stage and domestically for years. She played against the newly promoted Liverpool last season and went to battle with Spurs and Leicester City in past competitions with the Blades. Chelsea has had success with developing former Doncaster Rovers Belles players, such as Beth England, whose career speaks for itself since she signed in 2016.
There is no doubt that the Blues are very high on Watson and what the future holds for her. Hayes thinks she can take the next step, and if she can move on loan to another club in the WSL, the development could be accelerated. Chelsea’s connections with Reading in the past create some interesting scenarios that could open doors. Even sending her on loan to Liverpool in its first season back in the top flight could no doubt present Watson with more challenges than she has experienced in her young career up to this point. It may not be the flashiest signing by the Blues, but it is a sign that Hayes is not only looking at the present, but the future of this club, as well. The three signings to begin the summer are all players who are going to have an immediate impact on the Blues’ performance next season—not Watson.
Watson is someone who Chelsea can continue to watch develop knowing that, at the end of the day, she is now a part of the future of the club. It may take one, two or maybe three loans before Hayes believes it is time to give Watson a shot with the Blues’ squad, but the intangibles of her game are there. She possesses pace, confidence, awareness with the ball at her feet and she has a strong sense in front of goal. Watson is not the perfect finisher or finished product by any means, but with youth international experience and experience in the Championship, there is enough there to believe that down the line, Watson could bring a spark to the Blues’ attack.
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