Despite all of the hype around the Chelsea Women’s team at the moment, the Blues have a multitude of problems to solve before the summer of 2023. A total of 16 players (including the magnificent Fran Kirby and the wizard, Guro Reiten) on both the senior and youth sides in a plethora of positions will be out of contract when this upcoming season comes to a close. Todd Boehly and the new ownership group need to put the re-signing of these individuals at the top of the priority list when the summer transfer business comes to a close.
Tying Millie Bright down for another three years is a sensational start, but there are so many key assets to this club that could take their talents elsewhere next season. Back in June, the club exercised an option on Jess Carter and Maren Mjelde’s contracts, putting them off to next summer on top of 10 other influential senior players. Despite Emma Hayes signing plenty of talented individuals during this window, the Blues have so much more work ahead of them in order to sustain this success, much less raise their level. Hayes has demanded the best of the best since coming to Kingsmeadow over a decade ago, she has always demanded the best of the best. Many of these players that have expiring contracts have personified Hayes’ mission.
Chelsea Women face tough contract decisions at the end of the season
As the Chelsea Women hope to ascend up the ranks in women’s football, keeping players like Jessie Fleming and Pernille Harder in the fold will be more critical than ever. The Blues’ back-up goalkeeper—who made her presence known last season—along with four promising youngsters have contracts that come to a close in 2023, as well.
Kirby may have gone through a lot this past season and she was limited in her playing time. But there is no doubt that Chelsea is going to exercise the option in her deal given all she has done for the club, and her performance in the Euros this summer. Both Jorja Fox and Charlotte Wardlaw’s contracts have an option to be extended for another year on top of Kirby’s. Both should be expected to be exercised if the two see a chance to contribute for the Blues this year.
As Boehly attempts to find dynamic players in the attack and midfield for Thomas Tuchel and Co. this season, contracts for the women’s team remain on the back burner. For several of these players, it should not be too difficult to intrigue them to come back to Kingsmeadow with the amount of value the Boehly puts on the women’s team. The success it has had is undeniable and it’s clear that the new owner strives for more in the near future. Depth is something that Hayes wanted to address this summer, signing both Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Katerina Svitkova to give the Blues some extra spark going forward.
Some of the players brought in during this transfer window could serve as replacements for many of the out-of-contract individuals, but losing just one world class footballer that limits the depth of this club could hurt in the long run. It should only be a matter of time after the season gets going before several of these cornerstone pieces—like Carter, Fleming and Sophie Ingle—put pen to paper to keep them around for a few more years.
It is something that when looking at the situation looks like it is going to pile up, but after Bright signed an extension, it has to be something on the club’s mind when it comes to the rest of the team. When it comes to establishing extensions to some of her most essential players, Hayes has wasted no time. Whether it was Sam Kerr before or Bright now, since Hayes has been at the helm, the Chelsea Women have had no problem doing business efficiently.
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