Hayes: I’d rather have signed Berger in the summer

Emma Hayes has admitted that she would have preferred to have signed Birmingham City goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger in the summer rather than last week and that one of her other three goalkeepers will be leaving at the end of the season.

Berger, 28, sat out Sunday’s 3-0 WSL1 win over Everton, watching from the stand as Hedvig Lindahl keep yet another clean sheet.

Berger signed up to the Blues until 2022, and joins Lindahl, 35, England goalkeeper Carly Telford, 31, and Aussie Lizzie Durack, 24.

Hayes said: “We are planning for the future, that was part of the consideration. It’s not about the remainder of this season, it’s about beyond the season.

“I don't control when players come out. In an ideal world this (Berger deal) would be done in June, I did not have that option, so I had to do it now, knowing that there will be a change to one of our goalkeepers leaving at the end of the season.

“Of course it seems crazy for those not in the know, but I couldn’t do the signing in June as I wanted to as the player was out of contract in December.”

Hayes also confirmed that Chelsea’s transfer business is done for the season.

“No one is going out - only Jade Bailey on loan (to Reading), and no incomings.”