. Across the past three transfer windows her name has cropped up multiple times, but never in connection with Chelsea. Arsenal always were the frontrunners, so what has changed?
The England international moved to Barcelona for a then world-record fee when leaving Manchester City back in 2022, helping them win back-to-back Champions League titles, and has entered the final few months of her contract.
It’s no secret that Walsh has been eyeing a return to the UK. Arsenal tried to tempt her away last summer but the fee was always going to be a sticking point. Barca wanted a sizeable return on their hefty investment and were under no pressure to sell – the Gunners’ offer had to be irresistible. It wasn’t, and now the climate has altered in Chelsea’s favour.
The midfielder, who would walk into any WSL team, has the luxury of choice. And there is no doubt the ‘pros’ column at Chelsea far outweighs what Arsenal are currently able to offer the 27-year-old, in the peak years of her career.
Sonia Bompastor’s side are seven points clear at the top of the league having not lost a game since the Frenchwomen’s seamless takeover from Emma Hayes. They remain one of three teams still unbeaten across Europe’s big five leagues alongside Barcelona and Lyon and are on equally solid footing in the Champions League.
A move to Chelsea is simply the safer bet. They are the WSL’s destination club. There is no rolling the dice with detail-obsessed Bompastor – a proven winner, whose impact on the league in the six months since replacing Hayes has been profound.
They are streets ahead of nearest rivals in every sense and happy to flaunt …
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