Here is a roundup of the top Chelsea news and gossip that we think you guys could have missed today –
Julia Bartel has revealed the reason why a move to Chelsea happened this summer after the midfielder signed from Barcelona.
A Barca academy graduate, Bartel made her senior debut at the age of 17 back in 2021 and is a current Spain Under-23 international – but the decision was made to leave Barcelona and make the move to WSL giants Chelsea.
The Spaniard has signed a contract with the Blues until the summer of 2027, with an additional one-year extension option: ‘I am a very ambitious person, so I’m all about winning, winning, winning,’ Bartel told the club website. ‘So I think I’ll fit in at Chelsea – I know what is expected from a player who plays for this club.
‘My short-term goal is to learn here, keep improving and make the most of being surrounded by amazing players. My long-term goal is to win everything I can possibly win here at Chelsea.’
‘I’m very happy to be in London and here at CHELSEA,’ she adds. ‘I think it was a hugely important decision but this is the best club and the best next step for my career.
‘I have watched a lot of games from the WSL in the last few years and I think it is probably the strongest league at the moment in women’s football. So I am very happy to have the opportunity to play here.
‘I’m very excited about moving to another country, living on my own, and having the chance to play for a club as big as Chelsea.’
‘I’m really looking forward to playing in this new team with Sonia Bompastor. I know that she’s a fantastic coach. She has already won championships both as a player and as a manager. So I think this will be good, both for me and for the team.’
‘I’m very grateful for my time with Barcelona and every moment in the academy. They pay a lot of attention to minor details and are able to really develop players.
‘Working every day in La Masia with the players and learning with staff brought a new challenge every day. So over the years, everything I have learned is something I can take forward and use now I am here at CHELSEA.’
‘My idol in football is Aitana Bonmati from Barcelona,’ she reveals. ‘So I am very grateful that I could spend so much time in Barcelona training with her, learning certain things from her.
‘Aitana would be the player who has influenced [my game] the most so far.’
CUCURELLA MAKES WILLIAMS CLAIM –
Marc Cucurella has revealed he’s been trying to convince Spain team-mate Nico Williams to snub Barcelona and join Chelsea while at Euro 2024.
The 21-year-old has banged in seven goals and grabbed 16 assists in 34 appearances for Athletic Bilbao this season across all fronts and is a player that is attracting some of the games biggest clubs.
It is no secret that Enzo Maresca is looking to add some more quality to his attack now that the transfer window is opened up and is keen to bolster his squad with another winger – to help cove injuries etc.
Now According to Spanish publication AS CHELSEA and Arsenal have put the money on the table, ‘both for the club and for the player.’ And amid the speculation Cucurella has opened up and revealed that he is trying to get his team-mate to make the move to Stamford Bridge.
‘He is a great player, he is bringing out all his potential,’ Cucurella told Spanish outlet SPORT when asked about Williams.
‘It is a source of pride that he is on our team, that he is our teammate and with players like him everything is easier. He would be a great signing [for Barcelona], but it all depends on what he wants. I’ve been telling him to sign for Chelsea…
‘In the end everything depends on him, he is very young, with a lot of experience. I think he will be a great player.’
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We have said it before – Williams is a brilliantly gifted player that will join one of the big sides – but a move to the Premier League may be the wrong option for the lad at this stage of his career – staying in La Liga will help his development.
There is alot of pressure playing for CHELSEA – and he could fail to handle that if he comes to England
LEUPOLZ MAKES MOVE –
Melanie Leupolz has departed Chelsea after four trophy-laden seasons and completed a move to Spanish club Real Madrid.
The Blues posted on the club website: ‘The German international joined the Blues in March 2020 and established herself as a skillful and reliable presence in the CHELSEA midfield against both domestic and European opposition.
Her first campaign in west London ended with a Champions League final outing and four trophies. The first was the 2020 FA Community Shield and the Women’s League Cup, the Women’s Super League, and the Women’s FA Cup followed.
Leupolz made 34 appearances for the Blues across all competitions that season and was part of a midfield unit that contained the likes of Ji So-yun and Sophie Ingle.
We again claimed the WSL title and Women’s FA Cup the following season. Leupolz played her part in that success and was supported by the club throughout her pregnancy, which was announced in March 2022.
Leupolz gave birth in October 2022 and rejoined the Chelsea squad at the beginning of 2023. Soon after, she signed a new contract and made her return in an FA Cup match against Liverpool. Once again, it was a campaign that ended with a WSL title and FA Cup.
The 30-year-old was part of the Germany squad for the 2023 World Cup and retired from international football after the tournament. Back with the Blues, she became an increasingly influential figure as our 2023/24 campaign progressed.
She featured in both legs of our Champions League semi-final against Barcelona and started – and scored – on the final day of the season as we defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford to retain our WSL crown.
Everyone at CHELSEA would like to thank Melly for the contribution she has made to our success over the last four years. We wish the best for her and her family as they begin a new chapter.’