The Manchester City winger has been struggling for game time this season, but could get a huge opportunity at Wembley in Lauren Hemp’s absence
A lot has been made of the absences from the United States women’s national team as they travel to London this week to take on England at Wembley. But the Lionesses have their fair share of big names missing too, with Sarina Wiegman left to ponder what her best attacking line-up looks like without Lauren James, Lauren Hemp and Ella Toone. Such injuries are primed to present opportunities to others for this big game, with Chloe Kelly one of those in the running for a start.
Aggie Beever-Jones and Jessica Naz are also options for England out wide, with Beth Mead expected to line-up on the opposite flank, but Beever-Jones has only made one appearance for the senior team and Naz has been primarily used by Wiegman as a centre-forward. It could all put Kelly in line for what would be just her fifth start of the 2024-25 season, for club and country.
It'd be a welcome opportunity for the player who scored that iconic winning goal at Wembley two years ago, as the Lionesses finally won a first major tournament by defeating Germany in the Euro 2022 final. If Kelly wants to be involved as England go about defending that crown in Switzerland next summer, she needs to take every chance that comes her way between now and then, starting with this international break.
Getty ImagesGrowing concern
When Wiegman announced her squad earlier this month, for games against the U.S. and Switzerland, she did not hide her feelings when asked at what point Kelly’s lack of game time would become a concern for her.
"I think it's a concern right now, already,” she admitted. “But that's a hard situation. Competition at Man City is high too. But it's also to have a look at what's available. What players do we have available for our squad? We have some injuries up front. Lauren Hemp is injured, Lauren James is injured, so that competition is still going on too. Chloe knows that she's not in the best position at club at the moment, but [she has] enough credit to bring her in, related to the whole team and the availability of players."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLacking game time
It's no wonder the England manager feels like that. After all, Kelly has started one game in the Women’s Super League, one Champions League qualifier and one Champions League group-stage game across Man City’s first 14 matches of the season.
On four occasions, she’s not even got on the pitch. Kelly went almost six years without being an unused sub in the WSL prior to this year, but now it’s becoming a much more common occurrence, which will be of great concern to her as well as her national-team coach.
Amid it all are rumours of a breakdown in relationship with Man City boss Gareth Taylor. It is all casting doubt over Kelly’s future at the club, with her contract to expire at the end of the season.
Getty ImagesChange in fortunes?
That’s not just a situation for the winger to deal with once the current campaign is over either, because if she wants to be on the plane to Euro 2025 next summer, she’s going to need to be playing in order to stay in Wiegman’s plans between now and then, never mind earn a ticket.
As the January transfer window approaches, it would be a surprise if Kelly and her team were not at least tentatively looking at potential switches, in order to increase her game time ahead of that major tournament.
However, there is a window of opportunity for Kelly at City right now too, after Hemp had to undergo surgery for a knee injury. It means that instead of Kelly being one of four wingers – alongside Mary Fowler and Aoba Fujino – competing for two spots in attack, she is one of three. She’ll still have to fight to get minutes ahead of the aforementioned pair, but the chances of playing are at least higher while Hemp recovers, and some good form could change her standing in Taylor’s plans altogether.
Getty ImagesBuilt up 'credit'
One positive for Kelly is that Wiegman will give her the benefit of the doubt. The England boss has spoken before about players building up "credit" with her and her staff for their exploits with the Lionesses, meaning they will not be simply cast aside without thought if things aren’t working out at club level for a spell.
Kelly is the latest player that Wiegman has talked about in this manner and that will help her stay in the picture for the time being, with her still getting chances this season for her country.
The winger was one of the subs Wiegman turned to in the defeat to Germany at Wembley last month, ahead of the in-form Grace Clinton and exciting Beever-Jones, and she got a start against South Africa a few days later too, in which she impressed. She has the trust of the Lionesses boss.
