Sam Kerr is to leave Chelsea at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on one of the most brilliant, trophy-laden careers in Women\u2019s Super League football.<\/p>\n
The English giants announced on Friday that the Matildas<\/a> captain will leave after six-and-a-half years when her contract expires in the summer, with her last game for the Blues set to be an emotional occasion against Manchester United on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, there\u2019s a little bit of sadness,\u201d Kerr said, announcing her departure.<\/p>\n Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s leaving Chelsea, leaving the club where I\u2019ve been for so long, leaving my teammates, leaving the fans.<\/p>\n \u201cBut when I reflect on my Chelsea career and doing it for the last time, I just feel happy. Happy that it happened, and I feel so grateful to have played for this club for six years and won as many trophies as we could.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only thing that comes to my mind is remembering all the happy moments, the fun moments, and just feeling really proud.\u201d<\/p>\n The decision had been widely expected, with the 32-year-old having been reported last month to have been snapped up for the ambitious NWSL franchise, Denver Summit, in the US.<\/p>\n But Kerr will end her trophy-laden spell as Chelsea\u2019s all-time leading league marksman with 64 WSL goals, while her 115 goals in all competitions has put her just one behind Fran Kirby as the Blues\u2019 all-time leading scorer.<\/p>\n So it could still be a fairytale end to her reign as the \u2018Queen of Kingsmeadow\u2019 if Kerr could go past Kirby\u2019s mark with a double in her final match against United at Stamford Bridge, the venue where Chelsea women play their biggest matches.<\/p>\n Individual and team success went hand-in-hand for Kerr, who was twice the WSL\u2019s Golden Boot winner as leading scorer and was voted second in the Ballon d\u2019Or as the world\u2019s top woman player in 2023.<\/p>\n There were difficult times, too, for Kerr, none more so than when she was charged with racially aggravated harassment against a police officer following an incident in London in 2023, but she was found not guilty 13 months later following a high-profile trial.<\/p>\n Kerr was also sidelined for 20 months after sustaining a knee ligament injury in January 2024, but it\u2019s a measure of her quality that she returned this season to score her 100th Chelsea goal and, even though it took a long time for her to properly recover fitness, she still ended top scorer with 16 goals in 29 matches.<\/p>\n Her form of late has offered up glimpses of Kerr in her pomp, leading to suggestions that Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor should do everything possible to keep her in the squad.<\/p>\n But the Blues have been strongly linked with Manchester Cty\u2019s Khadija Shaw, who has supplanted the Australian as the deadliest striker in the WSL.<\/p>\n Chelsea said: \u201cAfter six-and-a-half memorable years, Sam Kerr will leave Chelsea when her contract expires this summer. Thank you for everything you\u2019ve done for this club.\u201d<\/p>\n The news has shocked, saddened and angered many fans.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, why … Kerr we need you,\u201d one fan said.<\/p>\n \u201cNooooo! \ud83d\ude25\ud83d\ude25\ud83d\ude25\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude46\ud83d\ude46\ud83d\ude46 We miss you \ud83d\ude2b\ud83d\ude2b\ud83d\ude2b\ud83d\ude2b,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n And another: \u201cThanks for everything our beloved Queen \ud83d\udc51.\u201d<\/p>\n And \u2014 referring to her 2024 fake fake goodbye announcement that turned into a two-year contract reveal \u2014another fan said: \u201cSomeone pinch me and tell me this is another prank\ud83d\ude2d.\u201d<\/p>\n And another: \u201cMaking me cry on a Thursday. Never want Sam to leave, never ever. Wishing her all the happiness & success \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc99.\u201d<\/p>\n And another: \u201cSam, it doesn\u2019t have to be now. We are all going to miss you. Your dedication and legacy here will forever be remembered. We love you, Sam Kerr. Chelsea forever.\u201d<\/p>\n And another: \u201cWhat the heck is happening, why is everyone leaving?\u201d<\/p>\n Married to American international Kristie Mewis and with the pair having a baby son Jagger, Kerr is expected to now announce that she\u2019s resuming her career in the United States, where she was once the all-time leading scorer in the NWSL.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last-minute drama seals State of Origin victory for NSW Blues<\/p>\n 2 min read<\/p>\n