Ashley Lawrence was pulled off the parent trap switch for Ellie Carpenter, causing the transfer market to switch between OL Lyonnais and Chelsea.
This move was brewing, especially as her wife Danielle van de Donk moved to London City Lionesses, and it was announced yesterday that Lawrence was moving to France.
We should change the WSL to the Aussie super league at this point.
The defender has signed a four year contract and will reunite with her former Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor and some of former teammates and international friend Sam Kerr.
At the age of 25 she already has two champions leagues and five domestic league titles from Australia and France.
SShe made her senior debut for Australia at just 15 years old and has been to three Olympics games.
She became the youngest woman to ever play football at the Olympics at Rio in 2016 and just 16.
On completing her move to Chelsea, Carpenter said: ‘I'm really excited about this new challenge; it’s a new adventure. It feels like the right move for me, and I can't wait to get started and give my all for this club.
‘I'm very proud to join such a big club, one of the biggest in women's football. Chelsea have enjoyed so much success in England, and I'm delighted to now be a part of it.’
In Australia’s A-League Women, she was named Young Footballer of the Year on three consecutive occasions, from 2018 to 2020, lifting the league title with Melbourne City following an unbeaten season.
An unbeaten season does that sound familiar to anyone?
By the age of 18 she moved to the US with Portland Thorns, becoming the youngest-ever player to feature in the NSWL and became the youngest-ever goalscorer in the division too.
She became the first Australian player to win the Women’s Champions League.
‘I worked with Sonia for two years at Lyon, and I like the way she coaches,' continues Carpenter. ‘She's been a player, so she gets it.
:She brings that winning mentality, it’s in her DNA.
She's straightforward, very direct and I think as a coach, you have to be sometimes. That's how you get the best out of people.
‘Sonia knows how to win the Champions League both as a player and a coach.
Chelsea have the team and the squad to win it and hopefully, I can come in and help the team and deliver that trophy.
‘I worked with Sonia for two years at Lyon, and I like the way she coaches,' continues Carpenter. ‘She's been a player, so she gets it. She brings that winning mentality, it’s in her DNA.
She's straightforward, very direct and I think as a coach, you have to be sometimes. That's how you get the best out of people.
‘Sonia knows how to win the Champions League both as a player and a coach.
“Chelsea have the team and the squad to win it and hopefully, I can come in and help the team and deliver that trophy.
‘I think you can see here at Chelsea the ambition is to win the Champions League and to invest in women's football.
“There's so much that goes into that over the whole season.
“It's not just one training session or one game and I know how that works because I've seen it firsthand.’
‘It’s a very proud feeling to join Chelsea. I think the timing just felt right,’ says Carpenter.
'I'm 25, in the middle of my career and I feel like I'm ready for a new challenge.
“England, for me, is the best league in Europe and I want to test myself against the best every week.
‘I want to learn from the girls here and push myself, and I think this is the best place for me to grow as a footballer and be the best version of Ellie.
“I know the expectation is to win here, but I think having pressure is great and winning trophies was one of the main reasons I wanted to join the club.
‘Sam Kerr always talks about Chelsea and how much she loves it here, so I knew this was a great club with a great environment.
“I also have some close friends here who played with me at Lyon - Catarina (Macario) and Kadeisha (Buchanan).
“I'm excited to meet everyone and be a part of such a great culture within the group.’
She spoke about how beautiful Stamford Bridge is, joked about her one max memory here, and said she now wants to make some good ones.
She said that the fans were electrifying and she cannot wait to play in front of them and entertain them.
‘I'm excited to meet you all. I'm very proud and honoured to be a part of your club and I promise I'll give everything on the pitch.’
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