Sam Kerr to Leave Chelsea as Contract Expires; Arsenal's Katie McCabe Also Departing

Sam Kerr will leave Chelsea this summer when her contract expires, the club have announced, ending her six-and-a-half-year spell in west London. The Australia striker is Chelsea’s leading goalscorer in the Women’s Super League with 64 goals and has scored 115 times for the Londoners in all competitions, during an era of remarkable success for both her and the club. The 32-year-old has won five WSL titles, three FA Cups and three League Cups during her time with Chelsea and only a lengthy knee injury prevented her from adding to that tally. She has won the WSL’s Golden Boot twice and she was named as the Football Writers’ Association’s women’s footballer of the year twice in succession in 2022 and 2023, during a spell where she was widely considered as one of the best players in the world. She was also the Ballon d’Or runner-up in 2023. “When I reflect on my Chelsea career, I just feel happy,” Kerr told the club’s media channels. “Happy that it happened, and I feel so grateful to have played for this club for six years and won as many trophies as we could.” Kerr’s 157 appearances for Chelsea make her the fourth-highest player on their all-time appearance list. She will go into Saturday’s final league match of the season, at home to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, just one goal behind Fran Kirby’s all-time Chelsea Women goals record in all competitions. A club statement from Chelsea said they “thank Sam for her incredible contribution to our success on the pitch and sustained growth off it,” before adding: “We wish her all the best in the next chapter of her career.” The news comes whilst Chelsea are understood to be the favourites to secure the signature of the Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw, this season’s WSL top scorer, whom the Guardian revealed earlier in May has decided to leave City at the end of her contract this summer. Chelsea have reportedly offered the Jamaica striker a £1m-per-year contract. Meanwhile, Arsenal have confirmed that left-back Katie McCabe will leave the north London club when her contract ends this summer. The Republic of Ireland international has played 305 times for Arsenal and helped them win the Champions League in 2025. It was exclusively revealed in February that McCabe was likely to leave, as no new offer was on the table at that time. Arsenal are understood to have made a late contract offer in recent weeks but McCabe has opted to pursue a new challenge. On Thursday, Arsenal’s director of women’s football, Clare Wheatley, told the club’s media channels: “Over more than a decade at Arsenal, Katie has made a significant and lasting contribution to the history and success of our football club. Katie has led with passion and commitment, giving everything for the badge and forging a special bond with our supporters. She departs as a club legend and we are so proud of our shared journey together.”