While Sam Kerr edges closer towards a return and Alyssa Thompson has arrived for a club-record fee, the Blues' homegrown forward is still shining
There were so many narratives swirling around Chelsea as they started their Women's Super League title defence on Friday night, especially in attack. Sam Kerr was back in the matchday squad for the first time since December 2023, following an incredibly arduous recovery from a devastating ACL injury, while new club-record signing Alyssa Thompson got the full pyrotechnic treatment as she was introduced to Stamford Bridge ahead of kick-off, following her deadline-day move from Angel City.
Thompson's recruitment had become particularly important for the Blues in the last week of the transfer window after Mayra Ramirez joined Lauren James on the sidelines when she suffered a hamstring injury that will force her to miss the rest of 2025. Many might've expected Catarina Macario to lead the line in the opening game against Manchester City, then. The American was incredibly impactful last season and, following her own prolonged spell on the sidelines, is "expecting to just be free" to do her thing this term.
But amid the talk of Kerr's highly-anticipated return, Thompson's big-money move and Macario's world-class qualities, it was Aggie Beever-Jones, the childhood Chelsea fan who joined the club's academy at nine years old, who led the line as the Blues kicked off the new WSL season in the most highly-anticipated fixture of the opening weekend – and it was her goal that set the defending champions on their way to a statement win over title rivals Manchester City.
It felt like a reminder that while Chelsea have plenty of international talent at their disposal, one of their own remains a serious sensation.
Getty ImagesOut of the spotlight
It wasn't just because of all the other storylines unfolding around Chelsea that Beever-Jones seemed to go into the opening weekend somewhat under the radar; there was also an England angle to it. Many expected the 22-year-old to be Alessia Russo's back-up at the European Championship this past summer, with her looking primed to make her mark on the tournament as a super-sub.
However, Michelle Agyemang's incredible impact knocked the Chelsea forward down the pecking order and allowed others to take centre stage. In the end, only two England players saw fewer minutes at Euro 2025 than Beever-Jones.
After any major tournament, the Lionesses are a focal point ahead of the new domestic season, and that is especially the case when they've won that tournament, as they did this summer. But Beever-Jones' limited on-field role in Switzerland meant she wasn't absorbing the spotlight ahead of the WSL's big kick-off quite like some others.
AdvertisementStarting with a bang
Friday, then, was a reminder of her quality. Up against a young and relatively inexperienced centre-back duo that had never played together, Beever-Jones made sure to test both Jade Rose and Gracie Prior with her intelligent movement, sneaking in behind the former to latch onto Ellie Carpenter's perfect cross and give Chelsea the lead just past the half-hour mark.
That she was withdrawn with little more than an hour on the clock highlighted the fierce competition for places in the Blues' squad, even while Ramirez and James are sidelined, Kerr waits for her big comeback and Thompson prepares for her debut. On came Macario for the final stages of the game as Chelsea saw things out for a 2-1 win. But Beever-Jones had made her mark and justified her status as the starter.
Getty Images'Complete player'
Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor was impressed. "From the beginning of the season, she's showing everyone she's ready and she's able to perform in a big game," she told reporters after the game.
"The goal was a great goal, a great finish, but also we spoke a lot with Aggie about her being able to hold the ball when she has a lot of pressure in behind, to have speed, but also she is able to make the runs in behind. That's really good for her and for us because she's more unpredictable when she's able to do both. Today, she showed that quality. She made some good runs in behind but also she was able to keep the ball under pressure. For a forward, that's a nice combination.
"She's a complete player. With the ball, without the ball, she works hard. She was dictating our press tonight and she did that well. That's nice for her, but also for us. She needs to keep the confidence and she needs to keep the right mentality. She has the right mentality, she works hard, she's always listening to the small tweaks we can bring into her game and I think today was a really positive day for her."
Getty ImagesCompetition aplenty
Competition in the Chelsea squad is always high and so taking those chances is vital, especially as it prepares to grow with Kerr's return and Thompson's arrival. Working in Beever-Jones' favour is her versatility, which allows her to play as a central striker or on either wing; she's even played in the No.10 role before. That said, it can be a blessing and a curse, preventing a player from obtaining rhythm and consistency, or even an elite understanding of each position.
"For me, I'm obviously a forward who plays across the front line and I think that has developed my game understanding of each role massively," Beever-Jones told GOAL last season, elaborating on the pros and cons of being so adaptable. "I had a bit of a time before Christmas where I was consistently playing in the nine, which I find a bit easier, playing consistently in a position, because then obviously you can make mistakes and learn from it. But I think I've got that game understanding now of all three positions, and even the 10 a little bit.
"I think it is just trusting my own ability and what I know in each position and being able to add my own unique bit of flair to it. I definitely have developed that side of my game. For me, it is just being on the pitch and being able to show what I can do, regardless of what position I am, and just making sure I'm ready, whether I'm starting or not."
