Emma Hayes drops Chelsea transfer hint amid major double boost for WSL return
Emma Hayes did not rule out the possibility of bolstering Chelsea's defence in the January transfer window, but emphasised the importance of returning forward Catarina Macario and Maika Hamano.
The Blues sit pretty at the top of the Women’s Super League heading into the season’s final half, with three points separating them from their nearest rivals in Manchester City and Arsenal. However, an arduous second-half of the season remains, with the Blues’ European ambitions still intact while the six-time league champions will also begin defence of their FA Cup title as well as embark on their Conti Cup campaign 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 made the switch to west London from Olympique Lyonnais in the summer having spent two years in France. However, the 23-year-old was not able to flaunt her pedigree having suffered an ACL injury that ruled her out of the Women’s World Cup and start to the 2023/24 season.
Macario’s return represents a potent attacking addition to Hayes’ already teeming arsenal, as does Japanese international Hamano, who made her competitive debut with the club in December after recovering from a shoulder injury suffered earlier in the season while on loan with Hammarby.
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And amid speculation over potential additions to an already stacked squad, Hayes took the opportunity to underscore the impact the duo could have in the new year.
Catarina Macario with the Champions League trophy following the 3-1 victory over FC Barcelona (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)“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 squad like this. We knew there would be more games coming in the second half of the season.”
Hayes’ meticulous preparation for such scenarios is well documented but the 46-year-old refused to rule out the signing of a defender in the transfer window given Aniek Nouwen’s absence, as well as ongoing knee issues with veteran defender Millie Bright.
“It might be something we look at,” Hayes said.
“The squad is going to be needed,” she added. “We have to keep everyone healthy so we can start the New Year in a good place, but this is a dressing room that is built to compete.”
Hayes is set to depart the club after 12-trophy laden yearsChelsea’s defence has undergone an unfamiliar instability this season, conceding 11 league goals since the start of the campaign, the joint-most of the top five sides.
Even so, the Blues have found ways to win and sit top of the WSL and their Champions League group. The season’s second-half is a generally Chelsea’s competitive distinguisher, with the club often eclipsing their closest competitors with squad depth and quality. With Hayes set to depart the club after more than a decade at the helm, the squad is not without inspiration going into the final throes.
“We love every half of the season – and we certainly know what to do in the second half,” Hayes said. “We have had a good break, will come back fresh, and be ready to go. There are multiple competitions to win.”
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