Chelsea announced on Sunday that forward Sam Kerr sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during their warm weather training in Morocco.
The Australia international is now likely to be out for an extended period.
Here the PA news agency takes a look at how Chelsea can cope without Kerr.
How big is Kerr’s loss?
Kerr’s absence is a huge loss for Chelsea, who are chasing their fifth successive Women’s Super League title.
The two-time WSL Golden Boot winner is a prolific goalscorer for the team, scoring four in eight league games this season. Her 21 league goals in her first full season in 2020-21 was a WSL record until broken last season by Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly, and she followed it up with 20 and then 12.
Kerr has also been influential in their Champions League campaign this year, bagging five goals in four, and she has 95 in all competitions in her time at the club.
Who can Hayes turn to?
Chelsea have plenty of options to turn to in Kerr’s absence. Fran Kirby has also been making her return from injury this season, while her England team-mate Lauren James has scored seven goals in nine league games.
There could also be a chance for Aggie Beever-Jones, a Chelsea academy product who has had previous loans with Bristol City and Everton.
The 20-year-old has struggled to get consistent starts in the WSL this season but makes an impact whenever she comes off the bench and in her six appearances as a substitute for Chelsea has scored four goals, with her season total being five.
Will Chelsea look to the transfer market?
Keep your head up, .
We’re all with you.
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW)
Possibly – there is plenty for Hayes to chew over in the transfer window but it will be difficult to find a like-for-like replacement for Kerr.
Chelsea already have plenty of attacking talent and Hayes could opt to shuffle the pack at the top of the pitch.
Pre-season moves for Americans Mia Fishel and Catarina Macario could prove inspired now that Kerr is missing for a prolonged period of time. Macario was handed the coveted number nine shirt while Fishel grabbed a debut goal against Tottenham, though she has not scored for the club since.
