Moves to Barclays Women’s Super League clubs are on the cards for Keira Walsh and Chloe Kelly before the women’s transfer window shuts at 23:00 on Thursday night.
Barcelona’s Walsh has been a subject of interest from Arsenal for some time – but now the midfielder looks set to move to WSL rivals Chelsea for £460,000 (Guardian Sport).
It’s understood the 27-year-old did not plan to stay in Barcelona after her contract expires this summer. That made this window the club’s last chance to recoup some of the £400,000 they paid to sign her from Manchester City in 2022 – a world record at the time.
She is reportedly due in London for a medical ahead of her proposed return to the WSL – and would join a Chelsea side who are seven points clear at the top of the WSL and have just paid a world record fee to sign defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave. The move comes, if there was ever any doubt, as a huge statement of intent from Sonia Bompastor’s side to finally get their hands on an elusive UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy. Walsh is a two-time UCL winner with Barcelona.
Embed from Getty ImagesElsewhere, fans are waiting to see where Chloe Kelly’s future lies after the Manchester City forward shared a bombshell statement on Wednesday night. She has not started a WSL game since October and, following reports linking her to a move away, has criticised City for their “disappointing” approach to her future.
“With my contract expiring in June I’ve accepted my future is not at this club beyond then.
She went on to add: “With the Euros fast approaching, this summer is a huge one and I want to be in a position to give it my best shot to represent my country.
“However, to be dictated whom I can and can’t join with only four months left of the football season is having a huge impact on not only my career by my mental wellbeing.”
“I am human and I have and will give everything to the game that I love. Ultimately, I just want to be happy again.”
Embed from Getty ImagesKelly famously scored the winning goal in England’s Euro 2022 triumph at Wembley, but is clearly concerned that a lack of club minutes under Gareth Taylor could count against her inclusion in the squad for their title defence this summer. Her most recent inclusion was a start against third-tier Ipswich Town in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round.
City have reportedly received interest in a loan deal from Manchester United and Brighton. It appears that City’s preference would be for her to move to Brighton, who (unlike United) are not in direct competition with City for Champions League qualification. However, Kelly is understood to have turned down Brighton as she would prefer to stay in Manchester, as reported by Sky Sports. Brighton currently sit fifth and are eight points behind third-placed City, while United are second and two points ahead of them.
According to All For United WFC, Kelly moving to United could mean a loan spell away for Brazilian winger Geyse.
Since reports linking Kelly to United emerged, manager Marc Skinner has remained tight-lipped on the possibility of a move. However, when talking generally about their transfer approach in a press conference before United’s Subway Women’s League Cup game against City, he said: “We’ve always said at Manchester United that if it’s the right person at the right time that fits this group, this collective, this unique group of teammates, then you know we can look to try and do business. But if it isn’t … the winter window’s always notoriously a little bit more difficult to do work in.”