Kerr will not rush Chelsea comeback, sets sights on Champions League

Chelsea forward Sam Kerr is being cautious with her comeback from a major knee injury, as she set her sights on winning the Women’s Champions League.

Kerr, who is Australia’s all-time leading goalscorer, has been out since January after she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in training.

She missed the back half of Chelsea’s Women’s Super League and Champions League campaigns, while she was also absent from Australia’s Olympics squad.

But despite being eager to return to action under new Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor, Kerr is not going to rush her comeback.

“I’m not putting a date on my return, just making sure I get it right and making sure I feel good before I get back on the pitch,” Kerr told Optus Sport.

“I mean, it’s my second ACL, so I know you need to take the time, you need to make sure it’s right and I’m doing everything I can.

“But definitely no rush for me, I want to make sure I can play for many more years to come.”

Bompastor replaced Emma Hayes after the latter ended her 12-year tenure at the end of last season.

And though Chelsea enjoyed unprecedented domestic dominance under Hayes, the Blues are yet to get over the line in the Champions League.

Bompastor, however, won that trophy with Lyon, and Kerr believes Chelsea now have an edge that was previously missing.

She said: “We would love to win the Champions League, that’s the one we want, that’s what we shoot for.

“We’ve fallen short a few years in a row, and hopefully Sonia brings that to this club.”

“We want to win as many trophies as we can – we want to retain the league, get the [domestic] cups back, but the Champions League is the one we’re going for this year.”

Before her injury last season, Kerr was averaging 0.61 goals per 90 minutes, from 3.66 shots per 90, with a 16.67% conversion rate.

But Kerr’s goals per 90 was actually at its lowest since the 2019-20 season, while her xG per 90 (0.46) was at its lowest during her time at Chelsea.

Kerr, who turns 31 on September 10, penned a new deal at the club earlier this year.

Asked if she had thought about her next move, Kerr replied: “This feels like home now. I love it here, I love where I live, I love the girls. We win a lot, so it’s nice.

“I want to end my career, whenever that is, with as many trophies as I can, and I think we can do that [here].”

Chelsea start their WSL season against Aston Villa on September 20.