Chelsea have signed England midfielder, Keira Walsh from Barcelona for an undisclosed transfer fee.
Walsh’s move brings her two-and-a-half year stay at Barcelona to an end and ensured that the reigning UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) champions received a transfer fee rumoured to be around £400k, with the midfielder alternatively having been available to leave on a free transfer in the summer.
During her time at Barcelona, Walsh helped the Catalonian club to two Liga F and UWCL titles apiece plus the 2023-24 Copa de la Reina and three Supercopa de Espana Femenina trophies.
Upon confirmation of her move which will see her play under Sonia Bompastor, Walsh commented: “It’s unbelievable. I’m very happy to be here and very excited to get started.
“You look at the history of the trophies Chelsea have won and I’m an ambitious player and person, so for me, it is a good fit.
“Speaking to Paul Green, Sonia and Camille, I just got such a good feeling from them. It has been really positive. I want to play for this club and fight for the badge.”
Chelsea’s Head of Women’s Football, Green added: “Keira is a player who will add huge value to an already talented squad. She has vast experience at the highest level, winning major honours at both domestic and international level.
“She is a composed defensive midfielder, with excellent technical attributes and world-class football intelligence. Her playing style and ability to dictate the tempo of the game will be crucial to our game model as we move forward.”
Walsh began her career at Blackburn Rovers before she went on to join Manchester City in summer 2014 in a move which saw her help the Cityzens to four Women’s League Cup trophies plus three Women’s FA Cups and 2016 Women’s Super League title across her eight years at the club.
The 27 year-old represents England at international level in which she has made 80 appearances and was part of the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro winning squad, in-between consecutive Arnold Clark Cup titles alongside 2019 SheBelieves Cup and 2023 Women’s Finalissima honours.
2021 saw Walsh selected for Great Britain’s Olympics squad which reached the Quarter-Finals where they suffered a dramatic exit against Australia in Kashima, Japan.
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