Emma Hayes did not rule out the option of bolstering Chelsea’s defence in the January transfer window, although she highlights the importance of the return of forwards Catarina Macario and Maika Hamano.
The Blues sit comfortably atop the Women’s Super League heading into the final part of the season, with three issues separating them from nearest rivals Manchester City and Arsenal. However, there is still a difficult moment in the season, with Les Bleus. European ambitions remain intact, while the six-time league champions will also begin to protect their FA Cup name and embark on their Conti Cup crusade in January.
Competing on all fronts has been a familiar challenge for Chelsea in recent years, but Hayes’ side has been handed a major boon in the return of the injured Macario, as well as new signing Hamano’s return to fitness.
The highly sought-after USWNT forward Macario left Olympique Lyonnais for west London this summer after spending two years in France. However, the 23-year-old was unable to flaunt her pedigree after suffering an ACL injury that ruled her out of the Women’s World Cup and the start of the 2023/24 season.
Macario’s return represents a tough offensive addition to Hayes’ already arsenal, as does Japanese foreigner Hamano, who made her competitive debut for the club in December after recovering from a shoulder injury suffered earlier in the season while on loan with Hammarby.
And amid speculation about potential additions to an already included roster, Hayes took the opportunity to highlight the impact the duo could have in the new year.
“Cat and Maika are going to feel like new signings for us,” Hayes told the club website ahead of the squad’s warm weather training camp in Morocco.
“That’s why we built the team that way. We knew more games were coming in the second part of the season.
Hayes’ meticulous preparation for such scenarios is documented, but the 46-year-old refused to rule out signing a defender in the transfer window given the absence of Aniek Nouwen, as well as veteran defender Millie Bright’s lingering knee problems.
“Maybe that’s something we’re considering,” Hayes said.
“The team is going to be loved,” he added. We want to keep everyone healthy so we can start the new year on the right foot, but this is a locker room built for competition. “
Chelsea’s defence has been unusually unstable this season, conceding 11 league goals this campaign, the most of the five most skilled teams.
Despite this, Les Bleus have discovered tactics to win and position themselves as the best in the WSL and their Champions League group. The second half of the season is regularly a distinctive competitive feature for Chelsea, with the club eclipsing their nearest rivals in terms of intensity and quality of their squad. With Hayes on the verge of leaving the club after more than a decade at the helm, the team is not lacking in inspiration ahead of the final agony.
“We love each and every part of the season and actually know what to do in the second half,” Hayes said. “We had a smart break, we’ll come back new and fit to pass again. There are several competitions to be won.
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