Magdalena Eriksson & Pernille Harder confirm expected Chelsea exits
Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson has confirmed her expected summer departure from the club with an open letter to fans, describing her ‘heavy heart’ at making the decision to begin a new challenge elsewhere after six years at Kingsmeadow.
Pernille Harder has also confirmed that she will be leaving the club in summer too.
Eriksson and Harder, who are in an off-field relationship together, have already been reported to both be joining Bayern Munich on free transfers this summer.
"I see myself as extremely privileged to have played a part in this great club's history," Eriksson said.
"When I signed for the club, the ambitions were clear, Emma [Hayes’] openness with that really resonated with my own ambitions. I quickly realised it wasn’t just all talk either. Winning was at the heart of everything we did, and that competitiveness was contagious. Six seasons, four WSL titles, four FA cup trophies, two Continental Cup trophies, one Community Shield later, it’s safe to say that the winning culture is now part of the Chelsea DNA."
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Going on to become captain in 2019, Eriksson described her 2017 move to Chelsea as a 'leap of faith', having never played outside her native Sweden prior to that point in her career.
"I took a leap of faith and landed straight into the arms of the Chelsea family…It's with a heavy heart and so many emotions I announce that my journey as a Blue will come to an end."
Harder, who joined in a world record transfer from Wolfsburg in 2020, kept things briefer.
"To every Chelsea fan around the world. It's been a dream coming true playing for this amazing club and I've loved every single moment along the way. Thanks for your unbelievable support throughout the years. It's been an amazing journey," she said.
Harder came off the bench to help steer Chelsea to victory in the Women's FA Cup final against Manchester United last weekend. The season could also yet end in another league and cup double after the Blues went top of the WSL on Wednesday night with only two games to play.