Chelsea forward Sam Kerr is being cautious with her comeback from a major knee injury, as she set her sights on winning the Women's Champions League.

Kerr, who is Australia's all-time leading goalscorer, has been out since January after she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in training.

She missed the back half of Chelsea's Women's Super League and Champions League campaigns, while she was also absent from Australia's Olympics squad.

But despite being eager to return to action under new Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor, Kerr is not going to rush her comeback.

"I'm not putting a date on my return, just making sure I get it right and making sure I feel good before I get back on the pitch," Kerr told Optus Sport.

"I mean, it's my second ACL, so I know you need to take the time, you need to make sure it's right and I'm doing everything I can.

"But definitely no rush for me, I want to make sure I can play for many more years to come."

Bompastor replaced Emma Hayes after the latter ended her 12-year tenure at the end of last season.

And though Chelsea enjoyed unprecedented domestic dominance under Hayes, the Blues are yet to get over the line in the Champions League.

Bompastor, however, won that trophy with Lyon, and Kerr believes Chelsea now have an edge that was previously missing.

She said: "We would love to win the Champions League, that's the one we want, that's what we shoot for.

"We've fallen short a few years in a row, and hopefully Sonia brings that to this club."

"We want to win as many trophies as we can – we want to retain the league, get the [domestic] cups back, but the Champions League is the one we're going for this year."

Before her injury last season, Kerr was averaging 0.61 goals per 90 minutes, from 3.66 shots per 90, with a 16.67% conversion rate.

But Kerr's goals per 90 was actually at its lowest since the 2019-20 season, while her xG per 90 (0.46) was at its lowest during her time at Chelsea.

Kerr, who turns 31 on September 10, penned a new deal at the club earlier this year.

Asked if she had thought about her next move, Kerr replied: "This feels like home now. I love it here, I love where I live, I love the girls. We win a lot, so it's nice.

"I want to end my career, whenever that is, with as many trophies as I can, and I think we can do that [here]."

Chelsea start their WSL season against Aston Villa on September 20.

Jonas Eidevall is unhappy with the level of care shown by UEFA and the Women's Super League when it comes to the fixture schedule.

Arsenal beat Rosenborg 1-0 on Saturday to seal their place in the second round of qualifying for the Women's Champions League.

They will face either Juventus, BK Hacken, Paris FC, Fiorentina or Sporting CP in a two-legged tie.

Those matches will take place on either 18-19 September and 25-26 September, which means Arsenal will play five matches in the space of two-and-a-half weeks when factoring in the start of the WSL campaign.

From next season, English clubs will avoid the mini-league qualifying format as UEFA introduces a new structure, and Eidevall, whose team also played on Wednesday, believes the current guise is damaging to player welfare.

"Now we're through it, I can say it – it's lucky an English team will not have to play in these mini-tournaments again. For all the excitement, it is a relic from the past," said Eidevall.

"This is just done from a budget perspective. That’s why they cram it in on Saturdays, to save another hotel night [by playing on a Sunday].

"All research around the world shows there’s a massive difference between 72 hours and 96 hours recovery after a game. That part, I just can't get my head around.

"That's just science. WSL has zero concerns about it, UEFA has zero concerns about it. It impacts injury risk. It's the same in the men's game.

"It's just that science is one thing and broadcasting money is another thing.

"You always need to get on with things. It's not an excuse, it's just scientific."

Arsenal kick-off their WSL season against Manchester City on September 22.

Sonia Bompastor has promised there is more hard work to come for her Chelsea players after they readied themselves for the Women's Super League season with a 9-0 hammering of Feyenoord.

Bompastor marked her first match at Kingsmeadow in fantastic fashion on Saturday, with the WSL champions proving far too good for their Dutch opponents.

Sandy Baltimore and Mayra Ramirez struck inside the opening 10 minutes, with Feyenoord's Celainy Obispo subsequently seeing red.

Chelsea were 4-0 up by the break thanks to finishes from Sjoeke Nusken and Wieke Kaptein, with Millie Bright heading home a fifth after the restart.

Substitute Aggie Beever-Jones netted a second-half hat-trick, with Maika Hamano also getting in on the act in a resounding victory.

Chelsea face Aston Villa in their WSL opener on September 20, and former Lyon coach Bompastor says the task is now to be fully prepared for that fixture.

"I can't wait to get to that moment, only two weeks now," she said.

"We are really excited to get to that moment, but we still have two weeks to work and we’ll make sure we work really hard to be ready for that first game.

"We had two main goals – the first one was defensively, we wanted to have high pressure, and be strong in transition. With the ball, I wanted them to play in a nice way, in an attacking style, so with nine goals, it was definitely good and it’s what we had been working on in training.

"I really liked the stadium, the atmosphere. It’s really cool, especially when you win and score a lot of goals. I hope all the games this season, they’ll have the same fun. We’ll keep working really hard to make sure they come and enjoy our games."

Lucy Bronze is targetting Champions League success in her first season at Chelsea.

The Blues are entering a new era under new manager Sonia Bompastor, who led Lyon to the Champions League final last season.

Bronze, though, helped Barca beat Bompastor's team in that clash in Bilbao, claiming the trophy for the fifth time in her career.

The full-back won the Champions League three times with Lyon and twice with Barca, and now wants to make it a sixth with the Blues, who fell short of European glory under Emma Hayes.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Bronze said: "Bringing the Champions League back to this country would be a huge success and would make women's football even better."

And with the standards set by Bompastor, who has won the Champions League three times (twice as a player and once as a manager), and her assistant Camille Abily, Bronze sees no reason why Chelsea cannot get over the line.

"The team's good enough and adding Sonia and Cammy's experience as both coaches and players that have won it is a huge thing," Bronze added.

"They aren't afraid to talk about it and make the demands it takes to get to a final so hopefully this is the year we break that brick wall down.

"She [Bompastor] has very high standards, she's very demanding. I'm laughing but my Lyon team-mates used to play with her and nothing was ever good enough.

"Everything needed to be better, which is why she was one of the best players to ever play for France.

"She's still got a little something now, but it's her standards that will hopefully get this team to the highest level."

The 2024-25 Women's Super League will have fans excited at the prospect of new managers right across the league.

Four of the 12 clubs involved will have new bosses in the dugout when the campaign begins in mid-September.

The most hotly anticipated of those newcomers is Sonia Bompastor, who will be following on from the Emma Hayes dynasty and trying to create her own era of success at Chelsea.

In the last decade, Chelsea found the winning formula that brought silverware galore. Hayes won 15 trophies during her 12 years as manager, cementing the club’s complete dominance of the domestic competitions in England. 

That haul included a last-gasp push for the WSL title last season, as the Blues pipped Manchester City to the post.

Opta's supercomputer is backing Chelsea for the title, but Bompastor certainly has big shoes to fill.

The recipe to success

The success that Bompastor must try and replicate will be no mean feat for the new Blues boss. However, she has won one trophy as a player and a manager that Chelsea were never able to under Hayes: the Champions League.

The former France international is also no stranger to pressure and expectations having played in and managed arguably the most successful women's team of all time in the Champions League.

She captained Lyon to victory in 2011 and 2012 and went one better in 2016 to become the first person to win the famous competition as both a player and a manager. 

Bompastor's list of honours is significant as a player. She won eight Division 1 Feminine league titles, six with Lyon and two with Montpellier, she won the Coupe de France four times, and the Champions League twice.

As a manager, she won three league titles and one French Cup in her time as coach of Lyon. She has the mindset of a serial winner and, after Hayes, Chelsea could hope for nothing less in a new boss. 

Bompastor won exactly 100 of her 118 games in charge of Lyon, registering an 84.75% win percentage and losing only eight times.

Her Lyon team scored 381 goals, an average of 3.81 per match, while conceding only 71 in return (0.71 per game). Bompastor's numbers truly speak for themselves and are the reason Chelsea made her the number one candidate to replace Hayes and lead what they hope will be a new era of success. 

A new champion?

The WSL is notoriously a difficult hunting ground for new managers. No manager in the competition's history has ever won the WSL in their first season in charge. There have also only ever been five winners of the competition.

Bompastor's predecessor Hayes won seven, Laura Harvey and Matt Beard have two titles each, while Nick Cushing and Joe Montemurro lifted the trophy once apiece.

It means we have an interesting quirk in the new season, with Liverpool boss Beard being the only active manager to have won the WSL title among all the current bosses.

But Bompastor will still face stiff competition, as her main rivals in Jonas Eidevall, Marc Skinner and Gareth Taylor have all taken Hayes to the wire in recent seasons as the league continues its explosion of expansion, growth and increased competitiveness.

Bompastor came so close to securing a second Champions League medal last time out with her Lyon side ultimately falling just short when they faced a formidable Barcelona team who made their own piece of history by securing a quadruple, becoming the first team to do this since Arsenal in 2007.

Her ability to navigate and win at all costs could bring a new chapter of success for Chelsea. 

Bompastor's Blues...champions breed champions

The new Chelsea boss has been left with solid foundations as she aims to win the WSL at the first time of asking. Bompastor is taking over a team that scored 71 goals in the WSL last term, 10 more than any other team, while only Man City (15) conceded fewer goals than the Blues (18).

Chelsea accumulated 59.87 xG, the most in the league, over four more than next-best Arsenal (55.48).

In fact, Chelsea had the best shot-conversion rate in the WSL last season, despite losing leading scorer and 2023 player of the year Sam Kerr to an ACL injury at their winter training camp in January. 

Before her injury last season, Kerr was averaging 0.61 goals per 90 minutes, from 3.66 shots per 90, with a 16.67% conversion rate.

But Kerr's goals per 90 was actually at its lowest since the 2019-20 season, while her xG per 90 (0.46) was at its lowest during her time at Chelsea altogether.

Getting Kerr fit and firing will be Bombastor's task – the Australian is still a world-class operator on her day, as she showed by hitting double figures in each of the three seasons prior to last season. Kerr has committed her future to the club, signing a new contract till 2026. 

Chelsea had 429 shots in the WSL, the second-highest total after Arsenal (436). They averaged 0.13 xG per shot, a higher total than any team in the division. Lauren James was the joint second-highest scorer in the WSL last season, with 13 goals. The England international greatly outperformed her 6.1 xG, showing high-level finishing and demonstrating clear improvement in that area of her game. 

Mayra Ramirez had a fine Olympics with Colombia, and starred in Chelsea's huge win over Manchester United on the final day of last season. She scored three goals in seven WSL games last term following her record-breaking switch from Spain.

The impact Ramirez could be huge in her first full season with the club. Her speed, strength and deadly finishing could prove too much for defences across the WSL. 

Bompastor has also added more quality to the attack by bringing in Sandy Baltimore on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. The France international is another proven winner, is a creative force and loves to drive at defences. She made 21 successful dribbles and had 24 touches in the opposition box in the Champions League last season. 

Defensively, the Blues were solid last term, with their 18 goals conceded coming from an expected goal against of 20.36, though they faced more shots than both Man City (184) and Arsenal (176). Millie Bright was missing for most of the season, however, and she really could be like a new signing this term.

Bompastor has looked to the market to help Chelsea reach that next level. Lucy Bronze, who has won every domestic trophy there is to win in France, Spain and in England, has joined after leaving Barcelona. Bronze has won the Champions League five times, lifting the trophy in spells with both Lyon and Barca.

Bronze created 28 chances for Barcelona last season from full-back – the second-most of any defender for the European champions, after Ona Batlle. Bronze supplied four assists and her experience in both attack and defence could be one of the missing links for European success.

The best of the rest

But what constitutes success for the new manager? And how big is the expectation from the club and fans alike to see their recent glory days replicated? With Man City and Arsenal both adding significant summer signings to their squads, this may be the hardest and fiercest title race we have ever seen in the WSL. 

City ran the Blues so close, with Hayes' team winning it on goal difference on the final day. Taylor has not left anything to chance, with City signing the all-time leading goalscorer in the WSL Vivianne Miedema, who left Arsenal in the summer. 

It is not just goals Miedema brings - she is also a creative force, having laid on 35 assists in the WSL, which ranks behind only Beth Mead (45) and Katie McCabe (36).

With Golden Boot winner Khadija Shaw, as well as Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Mary Fowler in their ranks, there seems to be little danger of City losing a title on goal difference again with such a stacked attacking line.

Arsenal stayed in the race for as long as they could but their attack ultimately let them down. While they have let arguably one of the best players of all time leave their ranks, they have brought in some big names themselves in the hope they can challenge their London rivals once more. 

Quality signings have come in at both ends of the pitch. Mariona Caldentey (signed from Barcelona), Daphne van Domselaar (signed from Aston Villa) and Rosa Kafaji (signed from BK Hacken), who is a youngster regularly tipped as the next big superstar of the women's game, have all arrived.

But only time will tell if one of these sides can beat Bompastor's side to glory and success.

We could be about to witness the new era of a new champion, especially if she can clinch that elusive Champions League title that Chelsea have so longed for.

Phil Foden and Cole Palmer won the top men's prizes at the PFA Awards for the 2023-24 season on Tuesday.

Foden took home the Players' Player of the Year award for the first time, while Palmer was named the Young Player of the Year.

Two-time Young Player winner Foden had already been announced as the Premier League Player of the Season and the FWA Footballer of the Year.

Following the midweek ceremony, he has now also been recognised by his fellow professionals after starring in Manchester City's fourth straight title triumph.

Ex-City man Palmer had likewise been nominated for the top award after an outstanding first season at Chelsea, in which he netted 22 league goals.

However, Palmer was not included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

Foden made the cut alongside City team-mate Erling Haaland and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins in attack.

There were four City players included, with Kyle Walker and Rodri selected, but the champions were outnumbered by Arsenal's five representatives.

David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard earned recognition, with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk completing the XI.

The PFA WSL Team of the Year included both Players' Player of the Year Bunny Shaw and Young Player of the Year Grace Clinton.

Shaw was one of six City stars in the XI despite her side being pipped to the title by Chelsea, who could count only three players in the team.

Phil Foden and Cole Palmer won the top men's prizes, while Reggae Girlz and Manchester City striker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw won the top women's prize at the PFA Awards for the 2023-24 season on Tuesday.

Foden took home the Players' Player of the Year award for the first time, while Palmer was named the Young Player of the Year.

The women's Players' Player of the Year honour went to Shaw, with the Young Player of the Year award copped by Grace Clinton.

Two-time Young Player winner Foden had already been announced as the Premier League Player of the Season and the FWA Footballer of the Year.

Following the midweek ceremony, he has now also been recognised by his fellow professionals after starring in Manchester City's fourth straight title triumph.

Ex-City man Palmer had likewise been nominated for the top award after an outstanding first season at Chelsea, in which he netted 22 league goals.

However, Palmer was not included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

Foden made the cut alongside City team-mate Erling Haaland and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins in attack.

There were four City players included, with Kyle Walker and Rodri selected, but the champions were outnumbered by Arsenal's five representatives.

David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard earned recognition, with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk completing the XI.

The PFA WSL Team of the Year included both Players' Player of the Year Shaw and Young Player of the Year Clinton.

Shaw was one of six City stars in the XI despite her side being pipped to the title by Chelsea, who could count only three players in the team.

Sonia Bompastor says she "likes the pressure" that comes from succeeding Emma Hayes at Chelsea.

Hayes, who won Olympic gold earlier this month with the United States, left the Blues at the end of last season after a glittering 12-year spell in charge that saw her win seven Women's Super League titles, including each of the last five in a row.

She also led them to five Women's FA Cups and two Women's League Cups to bring her tally to 14 major trophies.

Bompastor, who spent three years in charge of Lyon, winning three consecutive league titles and a Champions League, is now hoping to build on Hayes' success.

"I just feel a lucky manager to have this opportunity to build from Emma and have this opportunity to show who I am as a manager but also as a person," Bompastor said in her first Chelsea press conference.

"I already told everyone that we are here to win every single title, every single game, so this is why I came. I like the pressure.

"When I had the meeting with the sporting directors, I said this is something really special to win the Champions League.

"I think we have all the quality at this club to have this trophy at home."

Hayes came close to winning the Champions League with Chelsea, but fell short in 2020-21, losing to Barcelona.

With one eye on achieving European success this season, the Blues have already brought in Lucy Bronze and Sandy Baltimore, but Bompastor is keen to get some more additions through the door to ensure they can make a strong challenge.

"You know how competitive the league is here, maybe one of the most competitive in the world, so it's so difficult for an English team to perform in every game," she added.

"I'll make sure we have the good numbers and the quality to perform in every game."

Vivianne Miedema "followed her gut" when she decided to join Manchester City from Arsenal.

Miedema spent seven years with the Gunners, cementing herself as the Women's Super League all-time top scorer in that time, netting 79 goals.

She also set the league record for the most goals scored in a single WSL season (22) and netted 125 goals for Arsenal overall in 179 appearances.

After enduring two injury-hit campaigns in her final two years in North London, Miedema is ready to face a new challenge and is confident City will provide that.

"I've been in the league for a long, long time and my gut feeling told me that I really wanted to stay in England," Miedema said.

"I've spoken to multiple clubs in England and also abroad. Obviously, when I started speaking to City, I got really, really excited, mostly by the way they play but also by how other players actually talk about the club and about how things were going.

"Eventually, I think to myself, I want to challenge myself and I know this wasn't the easy option, obviously moving within England as well.

"But I got really excited about being a part of this City team and that's why, in the end, I followed my gut feeling by going with City."

The Citizens came agonisingly close to winning the WSL title last season, only missing out due to Chelsea's superior goal difference.

They will kick off the new WSL campaign against Miedema's former club Arsenal on September 22.

Robert Vilahamn has committed his future to Tottenham by signing a three-year contract to keep him at the club until 2027.

Vilahamn initially joined Spurs last year from Swedish side BK Hacken and enjoyed an impressive first campaign in charge.

He led Spurs to a top-six finish for just the second time in the Women's Super League and a first-ever FA Cup final, which they lost 4-0 to Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

"To sign a new contract with the club feels amazing," Vilahamn told SPURSPLAY.

"My first contract here and moving to London was a big thing, but now I have been here, met people at the club, I feel the potential is a good match.

"I just want to stay and keep working to make sure this team are taking the steps to the top."

Spurs won eight of their 22 league games under Vilahamn last year, and went on an eight-match unbeaten run under him in all competitions in the first half of the season.

They will begin their next WSL campaign against Crystal Palace on September 22. 

Chelsea will begin their Women's Super League title defence at home to Aston Villa, in what will be Sonia Bompastor's first match in charge.

The Blues claimed a record seventh title on the final day of last season, pipping Manchester City on goal difference, as Emma Hayes signed off in style.

Bompastor's Chelsea welcome Villa to Kingsmeadow on the weekend of September 21-22, and will conclude their campaign at home to Liverpool in May.

City's quest to go one better in 2024-25 starts in familiar surroundings for new signing Vivianne Miedema, who returns to former club Arsenal following her recent move away from the Gunners.

Manchester United face West Ham on the opening weekend with Liverpool hosting Leicester, while newly promoted Crystal Palace will play Tottenham and Everton travel to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Jamaica's senior Reggae Girl Chantelle Swaby is set to realise a lifelong dream of playing in the Barclay's Women's Super League (WSL), as she was signed by Leicester City on a free transfer.

Swaby, agreed to a two-year deal with Leicester City after her contract with French club FC Fluery expired recently. 

The versatile player, who has been capped 38 times for Jamaica, is eager to hit the ground running at the King Power Stadium.

“It feels great to have signed for Leicester City.  I’ve been wanting to come to the WSL for years now, but I just haven’t had the chance to, so I’m happy to be here and can’t wait to get started," she told the club website.

"I know this will be a really good experience and a great challenge for me, and I'm really excited. Playing as the home team at King Power Stadium will be a whole different experience, and I'm really looking forward to getting started with my teammates and meet the supporters,” Swaby added.

The 25-year-old made 33 appearances across two seasons and helped FC Fleury finish fifth in the French top-flight league last season. Prior to that, she represented American outfit Sky Blue FC and had a one-year stint with Rangers in the Scottish Women's Premier League, where she won the 2021–22 title.

Interestingly, Reggae Boy Bobby Reid was recently picked up by Leicester City's male team following their promotion to the English Premier League (EPL).

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Lucy Bronze on a free transfer.

The right-back signed a two-year deal following her departure from Barcelona at the end of her contract in June.

She won seven trophies during her time with the Catalan club, including the quadruple of the Champions League, Liga F, Copa de la Reina and the Supercopa de Espana Femenia last season.

Bronze made 70 appearances in two years at Barcelona, scoring four goals.

Speaking to Chelsea's media channels, Bronze said: "To know I'm a Chelsea player still feels a little bit surreal.

"It's obviously a club I know so much about and have done for such a long time. I'm really excited to be back in England. My family are so excited as well to get to more of my games.

"I'm excited to be in London, to see what the capital holds and to be at a club that is renowned for winning so many trophies."

Bronze has won every domestic honour in England during spells at Sunderland, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City, while she also won a league title and the Champions League during three years at Lyon.

The 32-year-old is the fourth signing under new manager Sonia Bompastor, who took over following Emma Hayes' departure. The club have also brought in Sandy Baltimore and Oriane Jean-Francois from Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Julia Bartel from Barca.

Fran Kirby has joined Brighton and Hove Albion on a free transfer following her departure from Chelsea.

The England international won five Women's Super League titles during her nine-year stint with the Blues, for whom she scored 108 goals in 195 appearances.

Brighton finished ninth in the WSL last season, and will certainly be boosted by Kirby's vast experience, having also been part of the triumphant Lionesses side at Euro 2022.

The 31-year-old is the Seagulls' third signing ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, after Japan striker Kiko Seike and Netherlands defender Marisa Olislagers.

"I'm a competitive person and I wanted to come to a club that matched my ambitions, to set high standards on and off the pitch, and to use my experience to help the young players develop," Kirby told the club's official website. 

"I want to help create a culture with a group of players who want amazing success.

"I wanted to stay in this league because I still want to be competing week in week out. And as long as I can help a team progress, that's what I want to do."

Arsenal have signed Barcelona's World Cup-winning forward Mariona Caldentey on a free transfer, following the departure of Vivianne Miedema.

The Gunners have been looking to strengthen their attacking options since announcing Miedema – the all-time leading scorer in the Women's Super League – would leave at the end of her contract. 

They have now swooped for Caldentey after she called time on her 10-year stint with Barcelona, for whom she made 302 appearances and scored 114 goals.

She scored 58 of those goals in the Spanish top flight, a tally only bettered by Asisat Oshoala (92), Alexia Putellas (80) and Jenni Hermoso (70) for Barcelona.

"I think what Arsenal are doing as a club is amazing – on and off the pitch," Caldentay, who helped Spain beat England in the 2023 World Cup final, told the club's website.

"It's been incredible to see what the club has done away from the pitch, with supporters following the team everywhere and lots of records being broken. 

"I can't wait to get started and help the team win trophies and entertain our supporters."