Hayes: There will be no more players coming in or going out
By Paul Lagan
Emma Hayes has confirmed that there will be no more players coming into Chelsea nor going out before Tuesday’s 5pm transfer deadline.
It has been reported that Arsenal’s Katie McCabe was a subject to a substantial offer from the Blues.
But Hayes said after her charges narrow 3-2 FA Cup victory over Liverpool on Sunday: “I’ve said all along that there will be no players coming in, and I won’t change that perspective, none are going out.
“I’ve always maintained this will be a quiet window for us,
I don’t discuss rumours, there’s no point talking about other players. I’ve told you there will be no players coming in.”
Those rumours centred around title rivals Arsenal midfielder Katie McCabe, who is believed to be keen on a move to Kingsmeadow.
But her Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall is equally adamant the 27-year-old Dubliner is going nowhere.
He said there was “absolutely no chance of that move happening.”
McCabe who can also operate as a forward or wing-back, has 18 months left on her contract. For the move to happen it would require McCabe to push heavily for a transfer as the north Londoners are in no mood to lose a key player to a main rival with little prospect of replacing her in time.
The Blues have landed just one player in this window, the Japan striker Maia Hamano, 18, who they promptly farmed out to Swedish outfit Hammarby for the rest of the season.
Striker Beth England was sold to Spurs for £250,000 while centre-back Aniek Nouwen was loaned out to AC Milan with Charlotte Wardlaw going on loan at Lewes.
Hayes will have a lot of thinking to do before next Sunday’s WSL outing away to Spurs.
Trying to stop silly and avoidable goals is high on that list.
She may have to do without centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan, who was taken off against Liverpool after complaining of a leg muscle worry.
Hayes said of the Canadian defender: “It was a tight hamstring, I took her off as a precaution more than anything else. I don’t think it’s an injury.”
Hayes was less impressed with the goals conceded against Liverpool, when she felt they should have had more goals and clear daylight between the two sides.
She said: “It was a scrappy goal by them, poorly defended by us, two players going for the same ball.
“That changed the momentum of the game - the long ball, percentage football. For me that turns it into a scrap, disorganised, chaotic - fun to watch. But we have to accept when teams do that, that that’s the way the game’s going to go.
“I felt we had a lot of chances to wrap the game up a lot sooner. When it went to 3-1 we should have shut up shop, but we didn’t. We are through to the next round.
“People have to stop expecting these things to be like completely dominate for 90 minutes and remember we are playing an opponent who are professional footballers and are very good at what they do, and in the last 35 minutes, they executed what they do very well.
German midfielder Melanie Leupolz came on as a substitute following the recent birth of her son.
Hayes said: “She needs time, she is doing everything she can. She’s probably not sleeping a lot, and she trying to figure out how to do it all.”
Should Buchanan not feature next week, then Magda Eriksson will revert to centre-back with Jess Carter keeping her position at left back.
Hayes confirmed that versatile Carter who has only started four games this season will be viewed only as a left-back from now on.
Hayes said: “Jess Carter is a left back, that is her position. It been her position all season, she’s a fullback, that’s where she will compete for the club and she will compete for England in that position.”
