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Soccer-Chelsea Sign England Midfielder Walsh From Barcelona
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 31, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
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Chelsea signs England's Keira Walsh from Barcelona, marking her return to English football. The midfielder joins Chelsea with a world-record transfer fee.
Soccer-Chelsea sign England midfielder Walsh from Barcelona
(Reuters) - Chelsea have signed England midfielder Keira Walsh from Barcelona on a four-and-a-half-year deal, the Women's Super League club said on Friday, with the 27-year-old keen to move closer to her family.
The move marks a return to English football for Walsh after two-and-a-half years with the Spanish club having joined Barcelona from Manchester City in Sept. 2022 for a then world record fee in women's soccer of 400,000 pounds ($495,920.00).
"I'll be honest, I didn't realise how difficult it would be to be away from my family and friends when I went abroad," Walsh said on Chelsea's official website.
"It's no secret that I wanted to come and wanted to play closer to my friends and family. Just having my family back in the stands, it's something I've just wanted for a long time."
Walsh had been with City since 2014, where she had won one WSL title and three FA Cups, and at Barcelona won eight trophies at Barcelona including two Champions League titles and two Spanish league wins.
The midfielder has made 80 appearances for England, winning Euro 2022 and a runner-up at the World Cup in 2023 and joins a Chelsea team who have a seven-point lead over Manchester United in the WSL, and their next game is at Aston Villa on Sunday.
The signing comes just days after Chelsea made Naomi Girma the first female million-dollar player, signing the United States defender to a for a world-record transfer fee reported by British media to be in the region of 900,000 pounds.
($1 = 0.8066 pounds)
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes)
Key Takeaways
- •Chelsea signed Keira Walsh from Barcelona.
- •Walsh returns to English football after two years.
- •Walsh's transfer fee was a world record for women's soccer.
- •Walsh has won multiple titles with Manchester City and Barcelona.
- •Chelsea leads the WSL by seven points.
Frequently Asked Questions about Soccer-Chelsea sign England midfielder Walsh from Barcelona
1What is the duration of Keira Walsh's contract with Chelsea?
Keira Walsh has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Chelsea.
2Why did Keira Walsh decide to leave Barcelona?
Walsh expressed that being away from her family and friends was difficult, and she wanted to play closer to them.
3What achievements does Keira Walsh have with the England national team?
Walsh has made 80 appearances for England, winning Euro 2022 and finishing as a runner-up at the World Cup in 2023.
4What notable achievements did Walsh have at Barcelona?
During her time at Barcelona, Walsh won eight trophies, including two Champions League titles and two Spanish league titles.
5What recent signing did Chelsea make prior to Walsh's transfer?
Just days before signing Walsh, Chelsea made Naomi Girma the first female million-dollar player.
