Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor said the addition of USA national team defender Naomi Girma will help bring even more quality to their squad.
The 24-year-old graced Stamford Bridge on Sunday, confirming her future in Blue after weeks of speculation. Chelsea are said to have paid a record fee of $1.1m (£890,000) to get them to commit to a four-and-a-half-year deal as they move away from the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
As well as the arrival of a new signing, Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Arsenal saw them take an even bigger lead in the Women’s Super League (WSL). They now sit seven points clear at the top and have been chased by Manchester United as they continue their quest for a six-consecutive league title.
London is blue!! 🔵#Cfcw pic.twitter.com/4rstxqeozt
– Chelsea FC Women (@chelafcw) January 26, 2025
After the game, Bompastor shared her thoughts on how Girmal is likely to strengthen her team even more.
“She’s a really talented player,” she said. “She will bring a lot of quality to the squad, even if the squad is already talented. I think having Naomi [Girma] Joining the team gives me even more options. Being able to play back three, back four systems, I think it’s good. It’s great news for all Chelsea fans today.
“I think Naomi [Girma] is a defender who is really comfortable with the ball in position. She will bring a lot of confidence to the team. She is able to make a big impact because she is comfortable passing the ball, kicking short and kicking long. She is also able to drive the ball and create an adjustment.
“She has a lot of speed, so she can play really high up the field and recover the ball with the space behind her back. This will have a big impact on our team.”
POV: You just signed one of the best defenders in the world. 🌍 pic.twitter.com/bizo1poxp6
– Chelsea FC Women (@chelEafcw) January 27, 2025
Although Bompastor eventually walked away with the win, he praised Arsenal for their sustained effort and ability to put Chelsea on the back foot.
“It’s a really fine line between Arsenal and us,” she said. “It went our way which I’m very happy with, but if you analyze the performance it was a really tough game. We didn’t control everything in the game but we were able to score the goal that gave us a great result. “
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