Chelsea Considering Hiring Sonia Bompastor, As Emma Hayes Set For New Adventure

Published

1 year ago

February 14, 2024

thecloudngr

Chelsea Considering Hiring Sonia Bompastor, As Emma Hayes Set For New Adventure—-The hunt for Emma Hayes’ replacement could be over with Chelsea Women having offered a contact to Lyon head coach Sonia Bompastor.

The long-time Blues boss will depart at the end of the season as she takes up the vacant manager position with the USWNT.

Selecting the candidate to replace one of women’s football’s most successful and influential managers in history was always going to prove to be a challenge. And while the process is still ongoing. Chelsea have zeroed in on the former Champions League winner Bompastor with the club negotiating a deal to appoint her, according to the Athletic.

The 43-year-old – who won the Champions League as a player and manager – was promoted to women’s head coach from her role within the Lyon academy following the departure of Jean-Luc Vasseur in April 2021. Her contract with the French giants is set to expire next year.

Bompastor’s tenure at Lyon was successful almost from the start, with the new manager leading Lyon to a comfortable double as they won the Division 1 Feminine and the Women’s Champions League.

In total, Lyon went undefeated in 22 league matches that season while comprehensively beating Barcelona 3-1 in the final of the Champions League.

The following season saw Lyon retain their league title, though a disappointing quarter-final exit from the Champions League awaited as they lost in a penalty shootout to Chelsea following a 2-2 aggregate tie over two legs.

If Bombastor is to take the Chelsea position, she will be greeted by familiar faces. Indeed, both Catarina Macario and Kadeisha Buchanan were coached by Bompastor at Lyon before their transfers to west London in 2023 and 2022 respectively.

Lyon are currently into the quarter-finals of the Champions League again this season, while they are 10 points clear of Paris Saint-Germain in the French top flight.

Bombastor’s managerial success is an extension of the success she relished as a player, winning eight league titles across her stints at Montpellier and Lyon, as well as two Champions Leagues at the latter.

Such a pedigree will be crucial if she is to replace Hayes. Since joining Chelsea in 2012, the 47-year-old has led the club to six WSL titles, five FA Cups, two FA Women’s League Cups, one FA Women’s Spring Series trophy, and one Women’s Community Shield.

San Diego Wave and former Manchester United Women manager Casey Stoney was one of the leading candidates to take over from Hayes, but the ex-England defender has since signed a new deal with the Wave keeping her in the NWSL.

Meanwhile, Laura Harvey, a former Arsenal manager now at Seattle Reign, was a club guest at Stamford Bridge for the Champions League match against Hacken in December – but recently indicated that she too is happy in the USA.

thecloudngr

0Shares

Related Topics:Chelsea Considering Hiring Sonia Bompastor Emma Hayes Set For New Adventure

Up Next

#LAZBAY: Watch Free Livestream Match Between Lazio Vs Bayern Munich Here

Don't Miss

YOU CAN’T GAG NIGERIANS: CUPP CAUTIONS TINUBU AGAINST SOCIAL MEDIA RESTRICTIONS

Click to comment

Sports

JUST IN: Crystal Palace Relegated to Conference League Amid Ownership Controversy

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

thecloudngr

JUST IN: Crystal Palace Relegated to Conference League Amid Ownership Controversy—-Crystal Palace have been demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League next season by the UEFA governing body due to multi-club rules.

The governing body’s decision stems from Palace breaching its multi-club ownership rules and Uefa said the Eagles could appeal its ruling with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, could replace FA Cup winners Palace in the Europa League.

Eagle Football Holdings – owned by American businessman John Textor – holds stakes in Palace and Lyon, with Uefa rules stating that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.

Uefa’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline which Palace missed.

Palace argued Textor does not hold any decisive influence at the club, but Uefa have not accepted the Premier League side’s defence.

Lyon, who also qualified for next season’s Europa League, take precedence over Palace because of their higher league position.

The seven-time French champions finished sixth in Ligue 1, with Palace 12th in the Premier League but qualifying for European competition by winning the FA Cup.

Earlier this week Lyon won their appeal against relegation from Ligue 1 after they were demoted for financial reasons, which affected Palace’s chances of playing in the Europa League.

Had Lyon’s relegation been upheld, they had agreed with Uefa to be excluded from the Europa League, clearing the way for Palace to play in the competition.

English football has two allocated Europa League spots, with Aston Villa securing the other after finishing sixth in the Premier League.

Forest replace Palace in the Europa League after finishing seventh, with their Conference League spot going to the Eagles instead.

More to follow.

thecloudngr

0Shares

Sports

Chelsea Permit Noni Madueke To Undergo Medical Ahead Of Arsenal Move

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

thecloudngr

Chelsea Permit Noni Madueke To Undergo MedicalAhead Of ArsenalMove—-Chelsea have reported given Noni Madueke permission to undergo a medical with Arsenal in London ahead of his £52m proposed moved away from the club.

The England international, 23, will not train with Chelsea in the United States on Friday and instead travel back to the UK.

An agreement has been reached on a £52million ($70.38m) deal while personal terms were previously agreed on a five-year contract.

Madueke is set to become the second player to move from Chelsea to Arsenal this summer after goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made the move across the capital for £5m. Raheem Sterling, Jorginho, Kai Havertz and Willian also all moved from Stamford Bridge to north London during manager Mikel Arteta’s tenure.

After joining Chelsea from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in 2023 in a deal worth €33m, Madueke made 92 appearances for the west London club, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists. He appeared in five of Chelsea’s Club World Cup games in the U.S., where Enzo Maresca’s side have reached the tournament’s final.

Madueke began his career in the academies of Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur before moving to PSV as a 16-year-old in 2018. Initially appearing for the club’s reserve side, he made his senior debut in January 2020 and went on to become an established part of the team the following season. He made 80 appearances for the club, recording 20 goals and 13 assists.

The England international is Arsenal’s fourth signing of the summer after the arrivals of Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad and Christian Norgaard from Brentford.

thecloudngr