Chelsea FC announce new head coach ahead of the 2024/2025 season

Chelsea FC in an official statement have confirmed the hiring of a new head coach for the women's team ahead of the 2024/2025 season.

Amidst rumours and speculations of the head coach poised to take over from Emma Hayes, Chelsea have put the speculations to rest with the latest announcement of former Lyon head coach, Sonia Bompastor as the new leader of the women's team.

The official statement which was shared by the football club today, Wednesday, May 29, 2024, reads:

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to confirm Sonia Bompastor will become Head Coach of the women’s team from the start of the 2024/25 season. Having spent three seasons in charge of Lyon in her native France, the 43-year-old will begin her new role on 1 July 2024 after signing a four-year contract. Bompastor will replace the long-serving Emma Hayes who departed Chelsea upon the conclusion of the 2023/24 season after nearly 12 years in charge of the Blues.

The Chelsea board was full of nothing but praise for their new acquisition as the club's co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, revealed, 'Sonia is the ideal candidate to build on Emma’s legacy and take the team forward. She brings a wealth of experience from managing at the highest levels and winning trophies as a player and a coach. Her ethos and values align with Chelsea Football Club. We are all looking forward to having her on board.'

Sonia Bompastor stats at Lyon

Speaking on her move to Chelsea Sonia Bompastor revealed, 'I am incredibly grateful to join Chelsea Football Club as the head coach of the women's team. It is an institution in English football. I will give my all to this new project to meet the ambitions of the club, the staff and the players. I hope to live up to Emma's legacy and continue the work that has been done in recent years. Let the adventure begin.'

Here are Sonia's stats as the former manager of Lyon:

Lyon’s First Team Manager:

• Three consecutive league titles in the 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024 seasons.
• UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) in 2022.

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