Chelsea: Plan to dominate the market with Ohanian and star signings

Chelsea Women Connects with the United States: A Long-Term Project

Chelsea’s growing connection with the United States goes beyond the interest in signing USWNT young star Lily Yohannes. Following the high-profile signings of Catarina Macario and Mia Fishel in 2023, and the investment of $1.1 million to sign defender Naomi Girma in January 2025, the West London club has rapidly expanded its profile across the Atlantic. This boost was increased with the investment of 26.52 million dollars from the American entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and co-owner of Angel City FC, who acquired a 10% stake in the women’s team in May.

This is going to be America’s team.

Alexis Ohanian

Ohanian expressed his ambition to transform Chelsea into a “billion-dollar franchise.” His financial backing highlights a strategic drive to consolidate Chelsea as a global powerhouse, both on and off the field. Since a consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly acquired Chelsea in May 2022, the men’s team has spent more than $1.5 billion on a series of young prospects, generally with long-term contracts, in the hope that they will become the superstars of tomorrow. Although comparable spending on signings in the women’s team is unlikely, Ohanian’s investment is expected to accelerate Chelsea’s future plans. The summer window opened earlier this week (June 18) and the club has already begun to reinforce Sonia Bompastor’s squad, despite winning the League Cup, the FA Cup and the WSL in her only season since replacing the legendary Emma Hayes as coach, falling only in the Champions League semi-finals against Barcelona. In fact, Chelsea has moved quickly to secure two young prospects: Swiss goalkeeper Livia Peng, 23, and German forward Mara Alber, 19. The duo aligns with the club’s long-term “Vision 2030” project, which is a plan for sustainable success through youth development and strategic hiring. The signing of English midfielder Keira Walsh from Barcelona for $572,000 in January is a clear example, as is their current search for reinforcements on the right wing and at full-back.

Vision 2030: A Plan for the Future of Chelsea Women

The central pillar of Chelsea’s recruitment strategy is future-oriented planning, an approach deeply rooted in Hayes’ legacy, whose 12-year tenure laid the foundation for the club’s long-term success. Before Chelsea had the elite scouting infrastructure it boasts today, Hayes had great control over the identification and selection of talent. She often focused on players under 22 years old, with the aim of building a squad for the future and not just for the present. Her philosophy was clear when incorporating young players, allowing them time to adapt and grow, and integrating them gradually. This patient approach has proven vital to Chelsea’s sustained dominance. Players like forward Lauren James and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, and more recently Maika Hamano, Wieke Kaptein, Alejandra Bernabe and Julia Bartel, followed this path. New signings do not receive starting roles immediately. Instead, they often spend their first season on the bench, working on specific development goals in training and making the most of limited opportunities before earning regular minutes. For many young players, that first year is spent on loan, gaining valuable experience elsewhere before being called upon to come to the fore in the WSL, national cup competitions, or the Champions League. Chelsea’s talent acquisition is not at all random. The club has a carefully selected list of long-term targets that have been scouted for months, sometimes years, dating back to just before Boehly’s acquisition in 2022. This project includes extensive databases for both the men’s and women’s teams. While the men’s list is much larger and more refined, the concept is similar: identify the best young talents globally and build an assembly line of future stars within the academy.

The women’s team has started to move in a similar way to the men’s, looking to sign young international players on or around their 18th birthday so that they fit the academy criteria (playing in England for three years before their 21st birthday, if they were not born in England).

Within the framework of its Vision 2030 plan, Chelsea anticipates that a large part of its squad will be composed of players from this list. Long-term contracts have only recently become common in women’s football, and Chelsea has positioned itself at the forefront. The club offered 4 and a half year contracts to high-profile signings Girma and Walsh, and four-year contracts to newcomers Peng and Alber. As extended agreements become more frequent in women’s football, Chelsea remains one of the few clubs capable of sustaining such commitments financially, offering competitive salaries for long durations thanks to its solid investment and infrastructure. It is expected that Peng and Alber will follow the same development path. Sources reported that neither is expected to have significant playing time in their first season, reflecting the approach taken with previous young recruits. However, both have been identified as integral to Chelsea’s long-term plans. While integrating local academy talent into the senior team has historically been a challenge, Chelsea appears to be turning the tide. Aggie Beever-Jones stands out as a recent success story. The 21-year-old academy graduate finished the season as the club’s top scorer and received a call-up for her first senior international tournament at the 2025 European Championship with England. Her trajectory reflects Chelsea’s model: a one-season loan to Bristol City, then one to Everton, followed by a successful campaign in blue. It is the model for Chelsea’s sustained success. A source reported that the club has identified 17-year-old midfielder Lola Brown, who has already debuted in the Champions League, 17-year-old forward Vera Jones, and 18-year-old Lexi Potter as the next success stories from the academy.

Who is behind all this and how does the peeking work?

Managing Director Paul Green has been at the heart of Chelsea Women’s strategic operations for over a decade and is widely regarded as one of the key architects behind the club’s rise to dominance. The son of a former scout, Green joined the club in 2013 and played a fundamental role in the early stages of its professional development. Before Chelsea had access to a sophisticated analysis department or a fully developed scouting network, Green, along with then-manager Hayes, personally traveled to see players, sharing his feedback and making recruitment decisions themselves. His hands-on, detail-oriented approach has remained constant even as the club has grown.

Green’s influence extends far beyond signings. He actively participates in the team’s daily operations, overseeing logistics such as travel schedules, meal times, training days, and rest periods. This meticulous involvement also extends to the players’ contracts, where Green has successfully managed renewals, extensions, and negotiations for new additions. A source called him a “brain” behind the scenes. However, Chelsea’s scouting operation now extends beyond Green’s individual efforts. Bompastor, who joined the club after Hayes’ departure, used to run Lyon’s academy before moving on to manage the first team. While it wasn’t a requirement that her successor have extensive experience working specifically with young players, Bompastor’s history fit perfectly with Chelsea’s strategy of working with young players. Sources reported that the club has built one of the most advanced and well-resourced scouting networks in women’s football. There are several full-time scouts dedicated to the women’s team, and others who work on both the men’s and women’s teams. A source described Chelsea’s scouting process as “rigorous.” First, a potential player is observed several times through unofficial channels. If the initial assessments are promising, the club’s data and analysis department gets involved, an area in which Chelsea has invested heavily. While access to detailed data in women’s football is still developing, Chelsea has made great strides in acquiring some of the most up-to-date metrics available, giving it a competitive advantage. Once a player passes the initial analysis phase, formal scouting begins, followed by in-depth character assessments. Coaches, former coaches, former teammates, and others with direct knowledge of the player’s personality, professionalism, and team fit are consulted before a formal offer is made. Not all scouted players progress through all phases of the process. Only a select percentage become serious signing targets, and an even smaller group receives contracts. The club is deliberate and precise about who it brings into the squad, ensuring high standards on and off the field. That said, not all signings follow the same path. For some outstanding talents, like Ajax midfielder Yohannes, the process is more streamlined. A source reported that the club did not need to meticulously scout Yohannes, as they already knew the qualities she possesses. In contrast, lesser-known players undergo the full spectrum of evaluation before the club considers moving forward. This combination of high-contact scouting, advanced analysis, and long-term strategic planning is the reason why Chelsea has had continued dominance.

Will more USWNT players join?

While it’s unlikely that Ohanian will directly participate in Chelsea’s transfer deals, that responsibility falling to the club’s established recruitment network, his presence and financial backing will provide a significant boost to their wider ambitions. His initial investment of $26.52 million is expected to strengthen Chelsea’s financial resources, directly supporting areas such as salaries, marketing, and transfer fees. But beyond the monetary injection, Ohanian’s profile adds weight to the club’s growing ties with the United States. As a prominent tech entrepreneur, and notably, the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, his involvement brings visibility and commercial appeal, particularly in the United States. Sources reported that Chelsea not only sees American players as top-tier talents but also recognizes their immense commercial value. For example, Girma’s signing led to notable increases in jersey sales, ticket demand, and broader audience engagement. For Chelsea, tapping into the growing American market is part of a strategic vision, aligning with the profile of women’s soccer in North America. However, a source made it clear that a player must first be a top-tier talent and fit into the club’s culture. The commercial advantage is a bonus, not the main driver. As the global market for women’s football grows, so does the commercial value of the players. One source described the movement of the English internationals after the 2022 European Championship as carrying a “Lionesses bonus”, a premium that clubs receive through the off-field marketing potential they bring. The same applies to the American players. With the USWNT’s four World Cup titles, the growing fanbase of the NWSL, and an already global following, the US internationals bring sporting pedigree and commercial power.

The trend of American players moving to Europe is also gaining momentum. USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps, who played in France for Paris Saint-Germain between 2012 and 2016 and joined the giant Lyon in 2022, said before the UWCL semi-final with Arsenal that she sees more American players crossing the Atlantic in search of greater challenges, broader experiences, and, especially, the opportunity to play in the Champions League. “It’s been great, very exciting and also very special for me [to see more American players come to Europe]”, she said. “These moments don’t happen often… There are many things [why players move from the NWSL to Europe], but I think overall you have two very good leagues. I think if you play a long time in the NWSL like me; I wanted a different challenge. It wasn’t anything against the NWSL, but I wanted to play in the Champions League again; I wanted to play for a big club like this. I think I just needed a different kind of challenge and maybe that’s also what these players felt. I think talking to Nay [Naomi Girma], talking to Jenna [Nighswonger], talking to Foxy [[Emily Fox]Emily Fox], that’s what they needed at that moment. I also think the NWSL salary cap, which is a constant problem there, which hopefully can be changed or increased.” Chelsea has already shown interest in USWNT stars Sophia Wilson (who is currently on maternity leave with the Portland Thorns) and Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman (who has been out since April with a recurring back injury). However, neither deal is expected to happen in the near future. Another source admitted that the club has also scouted other young US-based talents in line with their vision for future planning. It’s clear that Ohanian is totally committed to Chelsea in the long term. “This will be a billion-dollar franchise someday, and I hope my dollars, my pounds, can go towards that and especially at home, in the United States, this is going to be America’s team,” he said. With the growing commercial impact of American signings, the increase in opportunities in the global game, and significant financial backing, their ambitions may soon take shape.

Does Chelsea make exceptions to its youth policy?

While Chelsea’s transfer strategy largely focuses on the search for young, high-potential talents as part of its Vision 2030 plan, it is not exclusively long-term. The club also pays attention to the short-term needs of the squad and is opportunistic when world-class talents are unexpectedly available on the market.

Walsh is an excellent example. Sources reported that the midfielder expressed her desire to return to England after two seasons with Barcelona. When Arsenal failed to reach an agreement with the Spanish giants last summer, Chelsea seized the opportunity in the following transfer market. It was a last-minute deal and almost didn’t materialize due to delays in paperwork in Spain. At 26 years old, Walsh doesn’t quite fit Chelsea’s “youth first” profile, but her quality made her an exception. “You don’t turn down the opportunity to sign a player like Keira,” explained a source. Widely considered one of the best midfielders in the game, the former Manchester City player is still firmly in her prime and is considered both a current star and a key figure for the club’s future. That belief was reflected in the long-term contract she signed upon her arrival, until the summer of 2029. However, Walsh’s first six months in England have not been without challenges and sources said that Chelsea is still working on how best to utilize her strengths in an already established midfield, especially amid their difficulties in the Champions League against Barcelona. Walsh’s arrival also slightly altered the planned path for the development of the youngest midfield talent. A source acknowledged that her signing temporarily disrupted the progression of players like Kaptein and Hamano. Although, under Bompastor, who led Lyon’s academy before the first team, the careful rotation of the squad has allowed both players to continue gaining valuable minutes, albeit with reduced playing time compared to the beginning of the season. Ultimately, while Walsh’s signing may have adjusted Chelsea’s short-term development trajectory, it reflects a broader strategy that combines long-term vision with adaptability to invest in proven quality when the time is right. All this without compromising the club’s commitment to youth. Ohanian’s investment will only make that more accessible.

Who will be in Chelsea’s sights this summer?

Yohannes has been firmly on Chelsea’s radar for some time, with interest intensifying during Ajax’s 2022-23 Champions League quarter-final clash against Chelsea, where the then 16-year-old impressed scouts. Now 18, she is a priority target, eligible for a contract (the rules are different for EU and UK players), although Chelsea faces tough competition from Lyon for her signature. But Yohannes is not the only rising star the Blues are pursuing.

Chelsea has also set its sights on Liverpool’s forward, Olivia Smith. The 20-year-old Canadian international stood out during the FA Cup semi-final between the two teams (which Chelsea won) and capped off a debut season in the WSL as Liverpool’s top scorer. Sources reported that Liverpool is reluctant to let go of Smith and would demand a world record fee for her transfer. Arsenal and Lyon are also interested, recognizing her exceptional scoring ability, but have not yet submitted offers that meet Liverpool’s valuation. Smith fits Chelsea’s need to sign a right winger, although she is one of several names being considered for the position.

On the right side, Chelsea is also exploring options as part of their long-term succession plan for Lucy Bronze, who is now 33 years old and entering the final year of her contract. Former Lyon coach Bompastor has identified her former player, 25-year-old Ellie Carpenter, as a key target. The Australian international is known for her versatility and defensive quality, and sources reported that Chelsea is considering a swap deal that includes Ashley Lawrence, who has struggled to get minutes since joining PSG, to stay within the WSL’s 25-player squad rules. The Blues are also looking to incorporate several academy products into the first team for next season, specifically Lexi Potter, who spent last season with Crystal Palace, now relegated.