Chelsea Dragon
Young Chelsea Stars Help England Under 23s Reach Euro Final as Lexi Potter and Chloe Sarwie Named in Starting XI for 1-0 Netherlands Victory
Chelsea’s Lexi Potter and Chloe Sarwie were both named in the starting XI as England Under 23s progressed to the final of the WU23 European Competition with a 1-0 win over the Netherlands on Monday.
Blues goalkeeper Katie Cox who is currently on loan at Aberdeen was also named on the bench for the semi final clash which took place at the Murcia Stadium.
London City Lionesses striker Isobel Goodwin bagged the only goal of the game while Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating made a crucial save in the final stages to preserve the clean sheet which sent England through to the final.
Potter Played Opening 74 Minutes
Midfielder Potter who has made three starts and nine substitute appearances for the Chelsea first team this season played the opening 74 minutes of the semi final. She was substituted for Everton’s Laila Harbert as England managed the game in the closing stages which demonstrates her growing importance at international level.
The midfielder has been a regular feature in Sonia Bompastor’s squad this campaign. Her performances for Chelsea have been rewarded with consistent selection for the Under 23s which showcases her development trajectory under the French coach.
Sarwie Earns Player of Match Award
Sarwie earned the Player of the Match award for her efforts at left wing back which is absolutely brilliant recognition. The 17 year old made a key intervention in the second half to snuff out a Netherlands attempt while also contributing in attack with her forward runs.
The defender made her first Chelsea start against London City Lionesses on March 21 and has made a further five substitute appearances under Bompastor. Those contributions have been recognised on the international stage as the teenager has been made a key member of the Under 23 squad playing above her age category which highlights her exceptional talent.
Chelsea Dragon
Sarina Wiegman adds £50k-rated Niamh Charles to England squad as Chelsea star proves fitness amid Lionesses milestone
Chelsea defender Niamh Charles has earned a late call-up to the England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland after successfully returning from a long-term injury.
The Lionesses squad has received a significant defensive boost with the inclusion of Niamh Charles. The Chelsea full-back joins the national setup following a string of impressive cameos for The Lilywhites over the past fortnight. England head coach Sarina Wiegman decided to add the defender after monitoring her recovery progress at Kingsmeadow.
Proving fitness under pressure
The 26-year-old made her first competitive appearance of 2026 as a substitute during the Women’s Super League victory over Aston Villa. Since that return, she has featured in high-stakes matches against Arsenal in the Champions League and started the FA Cup quarter-final win against Tottenham Hotspur.
Her ability to handle these intense minutes convinced the England medical staff that she is ready for international duty.
Chelsea’s dominance in the national setup
The addition of the £50k-rated star brings the total number of Chelsea players in the current England camp to five. She joins club teammates Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, and Lauren James. This strong North London contingent will be vital as England prepares for two grueling fixtures on the road to World Cup qualification.
Milestone awaits in Reykjavik
England first faces a difficult test against Spain at Wembley on Tuesday, 14 April. Following that clash, the squad travels to Reykjavik to play Iceland. The second fixture represents a historic occasion for the team. It will be the 500th game in the history of the Lionesses, and Niamh Charles will be desperate to play a part in that landmark moment.
Chelsea Dragon
Chelsea Women Player Ratings vs. Tottenham as Veerle Buurman Stunning Strike Saves Blues After Hannah Hampton Nightmare in FA Cup Quarter Final
Chelsea secured their place in a sixth consecutive FA Cup semi final after teenage defender Veerle Buurman scored a spectacular late winner to beat Tottenham 2-1 at Kingsmeadow on Easter Monday.
The 19 year old Dutch centre back rescued Sonia Bompastor’s side after goalkeeper Hannah Hampton gifted Spurs an equaliser with a shocking error in the second half.
Sam Kerr opened the scoring just before halftime, heading home from Keira Walsh’s pinpoint delivery to give the Blues a deserved advantage. The Australian striker wasted a golden opportunity to double the lead after the restart, and Chelsea were punished when Eveliina Summanen caught Hampton completely off guard with a free kick from a wide angle that sailed over the stranded keeper.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Hannah Hampton (5/10): Awful afternoon for the England international. Completely misjudged Summanen’s free kick and looked nervous throughout.
Ellie Carpenter (6/10): Worked hard down the right flank and got forward well, but somehow missed an absolute sitter from two yards out with a free header.
Kadeisha Buchanan (7/10): Rock solid in her defensive duels and comfortable on the ball. The Canadian international was Chelsea’s most reliable defender on the day.
Naomi Girma (7/10): Exceptional passing accuracy with just one misplaced ball from 72 attempts. The American continues to impress with her composure and distribution.
Niamh Charles (7/10): Excellent return to the starting lineup after three months out. Made two vital blocks to deny Tottenham chances in the first half and contributed well to Chelsea’s build up play.
Midfield & Attack
Keira Walsh (7/10): Struggled at times when Tottenham broke quickly but produced a magnificent cross for Kerr’s opener. Controlled the tempo effectively when given time on the ball.
Erin Cuthbert (7/10): Quietly effective performance from the Scotland international. Won countless battles in midfield and disrupted Tottenham’s rhythm without getting much recognition.
Sjoeke Nusken (7/10): Intelligent movement between the lines caused problems for Spurs all afternoon. Her runs into dangerous areas stretched the visitors’ defence and created space for teammates.
Sam Kerr (7/10): Clinical finish for the opening goal but wasteful with two other excellent chances. The Australian is still getting back to her best after injury troubles earlier this season.
Lauren James (8/10): Chelsea’s best player by some distance. The England international orchestrated everything positive going forward, creating numerous chances with her vision and technical quality. Absolutely superb.
Subs & Manager
Veerle Buurman (8/10): Match winner off the bench. Slotted into left back seamlessly when replacing Charles and then produced a moment of pure magic, driving forward before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner with four minutes remaining.
Sonia Bompastor (7/10): Named a strong starting eleven and got the job done, though Hampton’s error nearly cost them dearly. Will be relieved to progress after the Champions League disappointment.
Chelsea Dragon
Chelsea Hold Talks Over Signing 17 Year Old Ivory Coast Forward From Right to Dream Academy as Blues Eye Summer Move
Chelsea have held talks over the signing of forward N’Sira Safi from the Right to Dream Academy, with manager Sonia Bompastor impressed by the 17-year-old during a trial last summer.
The Ivory Coast international was recently called up for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which was cancelled at short notice last month.
No agreement has yet been reached between the two parties, and Right to Dream, a multi-club organisation with a strong record of developing African talent, also has the option of placing Safi at one of its affiliated clubs after her 18th birthday.
The group includes Nordsjaelland in Denmark and San Diego FC in the United States.
Complex FA Regulations Could Force Loan Move
Because of the Football Association’s complex Governing Body Endorsement regulations regarding signing non-British players, recruiting young Africans into women’s football in England is generally more difficult than in other countries.
Clubs in the United States face fewer restrictions and therefore dominate recruitment from the continent.
Those same rules mean that if Safi joined Chelsea, an initial loan move may be required to aid her development while she builds the international caps needed to secure a full work permit for the reigning Women’s Super League champions. This is frankly a frustrating situation that puts English clubs at a disadvantage.
BlueCo Expanding African Scouting Network
BlueCo, which owns Chelsea and Strasbourg, has an extensive scouting network in Africa that has supported recruitment across its men’s teams in England and France. They have also hired a women’s sporting director, Phil Radley, who has a decade of experience at Nordsjaelland and knows the Right to Dream Academy system well.
The 2026 summer transfer window opens on 15 June and closes on 31 August, giving Chelsea plenty of time to finalise any potential deal.
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