Chelsea confirm team captain to leave at end of season

The Sweden international will leave the club when her contract expires in the summer after six hugely-successful seasons

 

Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson is set to leave the club at the end of the season.

The Sweden international arrived at Kingsmeadow in 2017 and has enjoyed six trophy-laden campaigns with Emma Hayes’ side. During her time at Chelsea, Eriksson has won four Women’s Super League titles, four FA cups and two Continental Cups, as well as captaining the Blues a first ever Champions League Final in 2021.

However, the 29-year-old has now confirmed she will leave the club when her current contract expires in the summer.

“It’s really difficult to talk about it or even say it out loud. It feels kind of surreal,” Eriksson said on Thursday.

“The news that I have for the fans and the world is that I will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season. It’s been an unbelievable time, the best time of my life.

“It has been six unbelievable years, together with my teammates, together with the fans, the club in general. And I feel so privileged to have been on this journey with the club. We’ve really established as ourselves as one of the best clubs in the world and it’s been such an amazing journey.

“So I feel, I’m not only sad, though it might look like it, but I’m also really really happy and just proud of the whole journey and everything we’ve been through together. It’s mixed emotions for sure.”

Having made 183 appearances for Chelsea to date, Eriksson will depart southwest London as a club legend. Despite the arrival of Canadian defender Kadeisha Buchanan last summer, the centre back has remained an integral part of Emma Hayes’ side this term, turning in impressive displays against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League and lifting the club’s third successive FA Cup trophy last weekend.

Eriksson, alongside partner Pernille Harder who is also out of contract this summer, has been widely tipped to leave Chelsea for German giants Bayern Munich. Alexander Straus’ side are currently top of the Frauen-Bundesliga, with England midfielder Georgia Stanway among the plethora of stars in their arsenal.

Reflecting on Eriksson’s Chelsea exit, manager Emma Hayes said: “She has been a wonderful leader, someone who has helped drive the team and it’s standards to the levels that we’re at.

“Chelsea will always be her club, it will always be her home. She will forever remain a legend of this football club. She goes with my blessing and I wish her the best for her future.”

Eriksson will likely lead Chelsea out for their final two games of the campaign, withe the Blues set to face Arsenal and Reading as their quest for a domestic double continues.