Chelsea approach Lyon and Bompastor amid Hayes replacement search
Chelsea Women have reportedly approached Lyon’s Sonia Bompastor as a potential replacement for Emma Hayes.
Hayes will leave the Blues at the end of the season to take up a role with the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT).
Bompastor has won the Champions League as both a player and a manager and is the preferred candidate for Chelsea.
Chelsea’s team will need to get around her contract, however, which runs with Lyon through until 2025.
Hayes leaves Chelsea this summer after bringing an incredible level of success to the London club, including six WSL titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, one FA Spring Series trophy, and one Community Shield.
Catarina Macario and Kadeisha Buchanan, two of Chelsea’s key players, were coached by Bompastor at Lyon before heading to London.
Bompastor played 156 times for France before retiring a decade ago to coach in the Lyon academy – she has been at the club since and head coach of the senior team since 2021.
She had spells as a player at La Roche-sur-Yon, Montpellier, Lyon, Washington Freedom and Paris Saint-Germain.
What Hayes said when confirming Chelsea departure:
When she announced that she was leaving Chelsea in November, Hayes said: “I think I made no secret, the fact I spent 10 years of my life living in America.
“I built a lot of connections to the country. I understand the country, its ecosystem and everything with it. And it probably was the only job that would take me away from Chelsea.”