Chelsea set to sign England defender Bronze

Chelsea are group to motion England world Lucy Bronze connected a free transportation erstwhile her Barcelona statement ends.

The defending Women’s Super League champions are closing successful connected an statement for a two-year deal, pinch an action to widen for a further year.

Bronze, 32, leaves Barcelona upon nan expiry of her statement this month.

The erstwhile Manchester City defender will nexus up pinch Chelsea adjunct head Camille Abily, who was portion of nan coaching unit erstwhile Bronze played astatine Lyon and won 3 successive Women’s Champions League titles from 2018 to 2020.

At Barcelona, Bronze won back-to-back European crowns, besides arsenic portion of a treble of silverware successful nan 2023-24 season.

Chelsea felt they could not miss retired connected nan chance to motion a subordinate of Bronze’s value erstwhile she was disposable for free successful nan market.

She was a subordinate that attracted caller Chelsea head Sonia Bompastor, and marks nan first high-profile signing of her reign, having succeeded Emma Hayes this summer.

Bronze is simply a serial winner, celebrating convention titles astatine Liverpool, City, Lyon and Barcelona, arsenic good arsenic playing a cardinal domiciled successful England’s triumph astatine Euro 2022 and their way to nan 2023 World Cup final.

She was offered a statement hold astatine Barcelona but was not guaranteed a starring domiciled pinch title from Spain full-back Ona Batlle.

Chelsea judge nan move will fortify a squad already packed pinch talent and winners, while Bronze will invited a return to nan WSL.

She follows erstwhile Barcelona team-mate Mariona Caldentey, who signed for Arsenal this week arsenic clubs astatine nan apical of nan WSL proceed to strengthen.