English championship leader Chelsea has strengthened with striker Sam Kerr. This was announced by the club from the Women's Soccer League. The 26-year-old is expected to play for the club for the first time from 2020 and receives a contract for two and a half years.
Kerr's commitment is spectacular, the Australian has already set some records in her career: the eternal scorer list of the US-Liga NWSL leads her with 69 goals in 109 games, in the Australian league scored no other player more goals than Kerr (70 Hits ). Most recently Kerr played for the Chicago Red Stars in the US and for Perth Glory from Australia.
With her home country Kerr was drafted in the summer in the second round of the World Cup, you get five hits at the tournament in France.
Chelsea have also secured one of the highest-earning players with the successful striker. In 2018, the Australian league named Kerr "Marquee Player" as the first woman to honor particularly talented athletes in Australia. The honor also goes hand in hand with a contractual payment of about $ 400,000 - the League Association had tried to dissuade the extremely popular Kerr from a permanent move abroad.
English league sells TV rights to Australia
How much Kerr will earn in the English league is unclear. The club did not announce any numbers. In the summer it was said in Australian media, however, that the contract with Chelsea could bring her up to one million dollars. One thing is certain: If you commit to Kerr, you have to invest. Chelsea were ready to do just that.
For the English Federation (FA) and the national women's football, the transfer of the striker is another milestone. For some years, FA has tried to professionalize the league - there are also projects at national level to promote the country's women footballers. This includes events: Last weekend, there was an international match at Wembley Stadium against Germany (1: 2) - 77,768 spectators came. Never before had more people watched an international match of English women footballers in the stadium.
"The best league in Europe"
On Monday it was also known that the Australian TV channel Optus Sport has secured rights to the English league. He wants to broadcast 50 games a season every year over the next three years. Already on Monday it was on the website of Optus Sport, the change of Kerr is imminent.
Kerr said in a first interview with Chelsea club media that she had chosen England because of her sporting perspective: "WSL is the best league in Europe." However, no English team has been able to win the Champions League since 2009; The WSL teams are not among the top favorites again this season. The US league is considered by the world champions of Megan Rapinoe as the strongest national league worldwide.
Kerr also said, "I feel like Chelsea has built something special over the years and I want to be a part of it - I want to win titles." Currently, the club leads the English championship and hopes for his third title.
