Chelsea transfer news

GURO REITEN insists Chelsea are ready to “run through a brick wall” for Emma Hayes as they chase a quadruple trophy triumph. And the Blues star, 29, says duels with their Conti Cup final rivals Arsenal are the best to win – but the worst if they end in defeat. Guro Reiten hopes Chelsea can avenge their loss to Arsenal in last year’s Conti Cup finalCredit: GettyThe Gunners won the trophy for a sixth time when they beat the Blues 3-1 at Selhurst Park last MarchCredit: GettyChelsea’s most recent triumph in a Conti Cup final was back in 2021 when they trounced Bristol City 6-0Credit: GettyTomorrow the Norway forward’s team will take on Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners in a battle to lift this year’s Continental Tyres trophy.The 3:00pm clash at Wolves’ Molineux home will be the first chance for either side to win silverware this term.It will also be the final opportunity for the team to attempt to win the contest for a third time under Hayes.After 12 years at the helm, their boss, 47, will leave Chelsea at the end of this season to take charge of the USA Women’s national side.Read More Football StoriesTo date the Women’s Super League leaders have won 15 trophies under their manager.And Reiten insists she and her team-mates always have their eyes on the prize when it comes to chasing silverware.The versatile forward said: “We just stay in the moment and do our jobs, but the motivation for winning trophies is always there and it has always been there.”I don’t think we’ve spent too much time thinking about Emma leaving.Most read in Sport”If you ask anyone in our team, they want to win everything. “I don’t think we need more (motivation). I don’t know if you can get more motivation to win a trophy.”With every game we play now, the pressure is there. We have to win.”Reiten, whose senior club career began with Sunndal, a local team based in the Norwegian county she was born in, has notched up more than 150 Blues appearances. Since her May 2019 transfer from Norwegian side LSK Kvinner for a reported £13,000 fee, Chelsea have won 10 major trophies including four league titles.The Blues ace, whose mother coached her to play in multiple positions during her childhood, credits Hayes with continually raising standards in Chelsea’s performances.She adds: “Emma demands so much from us every single day, raising our standards.”She says, what was good enough yesterday isn’t good enough tomorrow, it’s kind of her thing.”With this league, the level is so much higher, and you need to take steps to just be a part of this team.”But Emma is honest, she will tell me what I need to do better.”She wants to see the effort, the energy and everything put into it.”Everyone is willing to go through a brick wall for her.”We want to be better as individuals, but also as a team. “And even though there have been challenges and tough times, we have that mentality.”Among the challenges the two-time League Cup winners have faced this term are injuries to a few senior players including skipper Millie Bright and star striker Sam Kerr.The team are also without forward Mia Fishel and defender Aniek Nouwen. The duo, like Kerr, are currently sidelined by anterior cruciate knee ligament injuries.And these circumstances have led Chelsea to rely on the strength in depth of their squad during a run of 16 wins from 19 games. It means a lot to beat Arsenal. They won the Conti Cup last year, so we want to take the trophy back.Guro Reiten Results that followed a hefty 4-1 December loss to Arsenal in the league.Reiten adds: “There are so many good players in our team. “This year with injuries and with new players coming in, you just have to adapt to whoever you’re playing with. “They are all different with different qualities.”The build-up to tomorrow’s duel is almost a rerun of last year’s Conti Cup final lead-in.And like then Chelsea will enter this game following an earlier win against Arsenal in a major contest. Reiten’s team-mate Catarina Macario is among the players who have shone for Chelsea in the second half of this seasonCredit: PATheir 3-1 defeat of Gunners this month dented their rivals’ hopes of a first WSL title win since 2019.Reiten said: “They’re probably going to come to the final and want revenge for that.”It means a lot to beat Arsenal. It’s the best game to win and the worst one to lose.”They won the Conti Cup last year, so we want to take that trophy back.”But it’s always intense, tight games against them. “It’s like when you play a team and then two weeks later, you’re going to play them again.”It’s about who’s going to change it up who’s going to do something different. It’s going to be interesting to see.”Over the course of her Chelsea career Reiten has emerged as an influential figure on and off the pitch for the WSL giants.Her deft touch in their Champions League quarter-final second-leg draw with Ajax set up the first Blues goal in the contest for record signing Mayra Ramirez.And the forward enjoys being a role model for younger Blues players as well as contending with the pressure of winning trophies and retaining titles.Reiten (pictured with Mayra Ramirez) is eager to see Chelsea maintain their winning form across all competitions with the team reaching the Champions League semi-finalsCredit: EPAShe said: “It’s weird because I feel like it’s just become a part of me. With every game we play now, the pressure is there.”We have to win, we need to score goals.READ MORE SUN STORIES”I don’t know if I’m thinking about it the same way I did a few years ago, where I was more nervous and more stressed about it.”Now it’s like, ‘this is this is just us, this is our job’. More

ERIN CUTHBERT says Emma Hayes knows how to bring out “the animal” in her performances on the pitch.And the Chelsea star, 25, says believes all her Blues team-mates will have a role to play in their quadruple trophy chase.Erin Cuthbert says Chelsea will need every player to contribute with games coming thick and fast in their bid to win four major trophiesCredit: AlamyA win or draw against Ajax this evening will Chelsea set up a semi-final duel with Barcelona or SK BrannCredit: GettyThis evening they take on Ajax in the second leg of their Champions League quarters duel.The Women’s Super League leaders, who hope to win the contest for the first time, are carrying a 3-0-win advantage from the first leg.Cuthbert, who rifled home a stunning shot from distance in a 2-0 defeat of West Ham on Sunday, hopes to produce goals against Ajax at Stamford Bridge.Ahead of the game against the Irons Hayes spoke of the midfielder’s team-mate Sjoeke Nusken being more of a natural goal scorer.Read More Football Stories In response to her gaffer’s remarks, Cuthbert said: “Emma knows how to get at me, that’s for sure.”She knows how to provoke me and find a little bit of an animal inside me and she knows that as well. She knows how to wind me up.”But Sjoeke has been in brilliant form as well and that’s important to say. We’ve needed her at this time of the season.”I think everyone’s going to have their moments. Sunday was mine and Aggie’s (Beever-Jones’) moment.”Most read in Football“The week before it was Sjoeke and we need everyone to contribute over this period especially when we’ve got so many games.”Following their loss to Chelsea last Tuesday Ajax have maintained their winning form in the Netherlands’ women’s top-flight.The Amsterdam side are currently second in the Eredevisie and four points behind FC Twente after a run of 14 wins and three draws in 18 games.Suzanne Bakker’s players come into tonight’s match off the back of a 3-2 defeat of Zwolle in their league, with Romee Leuchter netting a hat-trick.Prior to their quarter-final tie with the Blues Ajax captain Sherida Spitse, 33, spoke of the need for Ajax to playing without fear of making mistakes.The Netherlands midfielder, who has made 73 top tier appearances for her club said: “I say to the team every time in training, and before games, you are here because you are good.”Of course, sometimes things are going wrong in the game.”You can make mistakes, but you need to ask for ball again, if you don’t do that, then you get scared.”Emma Hayes expects Chelsea’s opponents will be aggressive on the pitch with the Dutch club facing a last eight exit.Should the Blues triumph this evening it will be their sixteenth win out of 17 games across all competitions dating back to December 17.It would also see them pick up their third victory across all contests in eight days.While Chelsea are due to battle Arsenal for the final of this year’s Conti Cup this Sunday, Hayes’ players are fully focused on tonight’s match.The Blues boss said: “We only play one game at a time. I’m not thinking about Sunday.Sjoeke Nusken was among the scorers in Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat of Ajax last time outCredit: Getty”We know Ajax are going to come out to and be aggressive, we’re expecting and that they have to.”This is a competition where only one team advances, so we’re prepared for the aggression from the opponent and their learnings.READ MORE SUN STORIES”They’re a good side and it’s important for us to keep all of our focus and attention on this.”Chelsea vs Ajax can be watched live on DAZN’s women’s football channel on YouTube from 8:00pm this evening. More