Chelsea have announced that Magda Eriksson and Pernille Harder, two of their most experienced and highly decorated players, will leave when their contracts expire this summer.
Just over two hours after a tearful Eriksson confirmed her departure, Chelsea said Harder would also be going. The players, who are a couple, have been linked with a number of top European sides, most recently Bayern Munich.
Eriksson will be 30 in September and Harder 31 two months later, and their exits come as Emma Hayes looks to the future. Eriksson, the captain, has been with the club for six years and will end her spell with an 11th major trophy if Chelsea secure a fourth consecutive Women’s Super League title.
Chelsea are two points clear at the top of the WSL with two matches to play, putting Eriksson on course to win the double for third year in a row. Harder joined from Wolfsburg in 2020 for what the German club said was world record fee in women’s football and could depart after securing the double in each of her seasons.
Eriksson’s emotions were apparent in a video posted by Chelsea. “Really difficult to even talk about or say out loud,” said the Swede, who lifted the FA Cup last Sunday.
“It’s been an unbelievable time – best time of my life,” the defender said. “It’s been six unbelievable years together with my teammates, together with the fans and the club in general. I feel so privileged to have been on this journey with the club and we have really established ourselves as one of the best clubs in the world.
“It’s been such an amazing journey so I am not only sad, although it may look like it. I’m also really really happy and just proud of the whole journey and everything we have been through together. It’s mixed emotions for sure.”
