Chelsea has burst her forwards with the signing of young talent Mara Alber after this being a considerable area of weakness this season with injuries impacting the availability of a number 10 style striker.
She joined the Blues from TSG Hoffenheim on July 1st on a four-year contract. She has been described as a versatile forward who can play in the traditional striker role or through the middle.
It's somewhat concerning that the 19-year-old has missed much of this. Given the injuries that have impacted their forwards, it’s surprising they signed one who was sidelined for most of a season due to an injury; Chelsea needs players who are not injury-prone like Aggie Beever-Jones.
However, she established herself as a regular for the German side during the last two years.
Alber said: ‘I feel proud to have signed for Chelsea. It is a special moment for me because it is such a big club, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity.
'I am a player who has worked hard until now, and I always give 100 per cent every day in training and every match I play - I love football so much.’
The forward made her Bundesliga debut in April 2022 at 16 years old. She established herself in the German top flight in the 2023/24 campaign, making 32 top-flight appearances and scoring seven goals.
In 2022 and the under-17 Euros, she was the joint top goalscorer when her team lifted the trophy and was described as one of the best players at the under-17 World Cup in 2023.
The German interest has been described as good in one-on-one situations and has provided a goal threat due to her finishing abilities.
Paul Green, head of women’s football at Chelsea, said: ‘Mara is a player we have been tracking for many years, despite her young age. She established herself as a key player for Hoffenheim over the last few years despite most of her 2024/25 being cut short due to injury.
‘Mara has also shown her considerable talent with the German youth national teams, scoring in the final against Spain to win the Under-17 Euros and reaching the final of the Under-19 Euros.
“We look forward to seeing Mara continue to develop over the coming years and are delighted to welcome her to Chelsea.’
She will likely come when the competition up front is intense, with Sam Kerr coming back from injury. This will give the current Chelsea players some competition and ensure that rotation can occur to manage minutes to prevent burnout.
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