Chelsea Women: Catarina Macario, west London’s newest multifaceted superstar

Adding Catarina Macario to this attack brings a new found excitement that is bound to flourish alongside the plethora of world-class players already in the squad.

She was the catalyst to the most potent attack in the French top-flight last year. The Blues’ No. 9 is both sensational in tight spaces and with her back against the goal. Her ability to create for herself in addition to finding her teammates in the final third is credit to the mature intelligence she has built so early in her career. The Brazilian native has the pace and elusiveness with and without the ball the attack is going to need without Pernille Harder.

Only Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto had more goal contributions than Macario throughout the 2021/2022 Division 1 Féminine campaign. There was not an offensive statistic in which she did not sit at the top of the charts.

Despite the fact that she is one of the most dangerous players in the world with the ball at her feet, Macario has shown a tendency to make a difference when her team does not have possession. The two-time SheBelieves Cup champion attempted the second-most challenges on Lyon in during her second season. Similar to Kerr or Harder coming to London, this is a historic move that will help build on the continued successes of the club.

Upon her move to the United Kingdom, Marcario expressed her joy about joining the now four-time defending WSL winners:

"“I’m really happy to sign for Chelsea and I hope to represent the jersey well over the next few years…I’m looking forward to linking up with so many good forward players such as Sam, Lauren James and Guro. It will be good to play with Kadeisha again also.”"

Maika Hamano, Nicky Evrard, Sjoeke Nusken, and now Macario. The frightening part for the rest of the pack is that the west Londoners are not even done yet. Hayes may not add as many players to the squad compared to last summer’s window, but the quality that has been brought to in 2023 west London is remarkable.

The sky is truly the limit for Macario as she becomes the second European champion in the last two offseason transfer windows to join the Blues. Her shirt may read No. 9 on the back, but the USWNT attacker is far from what a traditional football fan would think as a player donning that number. It is tough to see the old guard depart west London after storied careers, but it is the culture under Hayes and signings like these that make the transition a lot easier.