Right after the triumph at Wembley in the FA Cup final, the Chelsea Women made their first transfer move ahead of 2023/24 season.
News that is going to impact next season is beginning to take shape. While the Chelsea Women have two new outgoings, the Blues announced just a few days before Pernille Harder and Magdalena Eriksson made their departures official that a new midfielder will be making her move to the Women’s Super League. German international and Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Sjoeke Nusken has penned a three-year deal with the west Londoners, becoming the club’s first signing ahead of the new campaign. She joins her national team teammates Melanie Leupolz and Ann-Katrin Berger in west London.
Other than possessing a name that is going to give broadcasters plenty of headaches, the 22-year-old brings the type of versatility that Hayes craves in all her players. She may be listed as a midfielder, but over the past few campaigns, the Nusken has displayed a talent to be much more than that. Like Erin Cuthbert, Nusken has continuously been a thorn in the side of every opposition she comes up against. No player in the women’s top-flight in Germany has more tackles and interceptions than Frankfurt’s No.8 in 2022/2023. Only two players in the Frauen-Bundesliga have more than 100 tackles plus interceptions, and Nusken is one of them.
Not only is her intelligence and anticipation with and without the ball extraordinary, Nusken’s physicality and athleticism match what a player needs to succeed in a league that takes a tool on any player. No matter the size or stature of the opposition, the 22-year-old does not back down from any 50-50 ball.
The ability to disrupt play is going to be a game changer for Hayes’ side, and while it may take some time to adjust to the WSL, the midfielder has shown she has what it takes on the international level. The new Blue has featured in 15 contests for her country including netting a goal in the World Cup qualifiers in 2023.
Sights set on 2023/24! 👊 pic.twitter.com/KVEFAYLPO8
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) May 16, 2023
Like she always has been with new signings, Hayes is going to take it step by step throughout 2023/2024 with the German. Jelena Cankovic, and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd are perfect examples of the kind of role the 22-year-old could have in her first season. She will have the privilege to learn alongside a veteran leader like Sophie Ingle for a few years before she receives the baton from her.
The large number of midfielders on the roster could make it difficult for her to break into the squad, but recently on her national team and within her club, the youngster has featured as a center back. It is not her primary position, but if asked to do the job, Hayes knows that she already has shown she is capable of it. Eriksson’s departure could present Nusken with more playing time in the backline in her first season compared to the middle of the park. In fact, for the majority of the domestic campaign with Die Adler, Nusken has been asked to play in the center of a defense. Hayes has preached adaptability, and the new girl along with the 2022 summer signings embody that word to a tee.
Frankfurt’s player English football fans may not be knowledgeable about, but she is someone that has the potential to be a real difference maker for the Chelsea Women
Nusken joined Frankfurt back in 2019, and made debut for her national team in February 2021 in a friendly. She started in 66 of the 81 games in which she played a part of in the Frauen-Bundesliga since 2019. Since 2021, Nusken has started in 42 out of her 42 appearances in the German domestic top-flight.
She has played over 1750 minutes in her last two domestic campaigns, appearing in the top-five in total minutes last season and this season. Injuries can happen to any player in any given match, but to see this kind of track record and durability in top-flight football provides another reason why the west London outfit has been tracking her for several years.
Nusken is the exact kind of player this club needs, and her youth puts a cherry on top of it all. No matter where the international may end up on the pitch next season, her quality will remain consistent. With an eye aimed at the present, Hayes still knows what they need for years to come. What makes this player special is that she can contribute in the now and for the foreseeable future. Heading into the summer, the men’s team should take notes because Nusken checks every box Hayes would wish for in someone coming into the squad.