Chelsea set to sign Keira Walsh from Barcelona in another blockbuster move — reports

Today at 11:08 PM

Oh my

Chelsea have already broken the transfer record for women's professional football earlier this month, but we're apparently not quite satisfied and are looking to complete another blockbuster move before the transfer window slams shut later today, Thursday. (The window on the men's side is open through Monday, February 3 but the women's closes at 11pm GMT January 30.)

According to multiple reports, including from The Telegraph, Chelsea are "close" and "in line" to finalize the transfer of midfielder Keira Walsh from Barcelona, with the 27-year-old England international booked for her medical in London today. There's no word on the fee, though it's unlikely to break the world record we just set for Naomi Girma since Walsh is in the final year of her contract.

Walsh moved to Barcelona from Manchester City in 2022 for what was then a world record fee of €470k (a record she would hold until our signing of Mayra Ramírez in 2024), and all she's done since is win everything possible with them, including back-to-back Champions League titles — beating Chelsea along the way in both semifinals. But apparently she's ready to come back to the WSL now. Amusingly, Arsenal apparently made a world-record bid in the summer, but Barcelona rejected them.

Chelsea have yet to lose a game this season since the appointment of Sonia Bompastor to replace the legendary Emma Hayes, but we've now addressed needs in defense (with Naomi Girma) and in controlling the midfield, so hopefully we can keep that going in both the WSL and in the Champions League — all the way to the very top of the mountain!