Chelsea manager Emma Hayes will leave the club at the end of the season to take up an opportunity outside of the Barclays Women’s Super League.
The Blues announced the news via a post on their official club website this afternoon.
It has been reported that Hayes will take up a new challenge away from the club game. The 47-year-old has been in charge of The Blues for 11 years and today’s announcement comes as a real shock.
In her time as Chelsea manager, Hayes has won a whole host of trophies including seven league titles, five Women’s FA Cups and two FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cups. She also guided the club to a first UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 2020/2021.
Speaking following this afternoon’s announcement, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said “Emma has been one of the biggest drivers of change in women’s football. Her achievements at Chelsea are unrivalled and will live in the club’s history forever.
“Given everything she has contributed to Chelsea in over a decade with the club, and the legacy she leaves behind, we would never stand in her way when she felt it was the right time to pursue a new challenge.
“We are pleased that she will remain with the club for the remainder of the season to give us the time to identify her successor.
“There will be plenty of time to celebrate Emma’s many achievements at the club and to give her the farewell she deserves, but for now, as she always has been, Emma will be solely focused on making this season as successful as possible for Chelsea.”
Chelsea are currently top of the Barclays Women’s Super League table while they begin their latest UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign later this month. European glory is the one thing missing from Hayes’ tenure and she will be hoping to finally get her hands on the UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy next May.