{"id":612526,"date":"2022-05-05T03:50:57","date_gmt":"2022-05-05T07:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=612526"},"modified":"2022-05-05T03:50:57","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T07:50:57","slug":"long-serving-chelsea-women-midfielder-to-leave-at-end-of-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2022\/05\/05\/long-serving-chelsea-women-midfielder-to-leave-at-end-of-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Long-Serving Chelsea Women Midfielder to Leave at End of Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been announced<\/a> that long-serving Chelsea Women midfielder Drew Spence will be departing the club this summer after over a decade with the club. Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said:<\/p>\n

“Drew has epitomised everything that we have been about in my tenure. She\u2019s watched the club grow from amateur to one of the top teams in Europe and she\u2019s been instrumental in that journey.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve watched Drew grow from a young player and blossomed as a senior pro. I\u2019m excited for her next steps, she\u2019s fully deserving of everything she\u2019s achieved and again she will join a group of legends for what she has done at this football club and I know everyone here will really miss her”<\/p>\n

Chelsea Veteran Drew Spence Departing The Club<\/h2>\n

Seasoned Winner<\/h3>\n

Drew Spence debuted for the Chelsea Women senior squad in 2009 and has since played 238 games for the team as a midfielder. In that time she has netted 50 goals for the team. Spence has a laundry list of accolades from her time with Chelsea totalling eleven major trophies including five WSL title wins, three FA Cup wins, two Conti Cup wins, and a Community Shield victory. She has been through it all as Chelsea went from a standard women’s side to one of the top women’s footballing teams in Europe.<\/p>\n

A Changing of The Guard<\/h3>\n

Chelsea Women are in a period of massive upheaval. A number of the club’s long-standing players have already confirmed their intention to leave the club. Spence joins Ji So-Yun<\/a> and Jonna Andersson<\/a> on the way out. Interestingly this leaves Chelsea in desperate need of midfield help, Ji and Spence departing is already a blow but adding in Melanie Leupolz’s pregnancy the club’s midfield options are looking slightly bare for next season. It will be interesting to see what moves the team makes in order to fill the gaps left by these veterans.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>