Emma Hayes to leave Chelsea at end of the season

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes will depart the Blues at the end of the season after more than a decade in charge, the Women’s Super League club have announced.

Hayes is among the most respected and successful managers in women’s football, having led Chelsea to six WSL titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, one Spring Series trophy and one Community Shield.

The 47-year-old, who steered Chelsea to an historic double on two occasions and achieved one domestic treble, has previously been linked to the vacant United States women’s national team role currently occupied by interim boss Twila Kilgore.

A club statement read: “Chelsea FC can today confirm that highly decorated Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes OBE will depart the club at the end of the season to pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football.”

Emma Hayes to depart Chelsea at the end of the season.

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) November 4, 2023

Hayes’ six titles are a WSL record, representing half of the seasons the competition has existed in its modern form – Laura Harvey and Matt Beard are her nearest challengers, winning two apiece with Arsenal and Liverpool respectively.

She has been named the league’s manager of the season in each of those six campaigns, with no other manager winning the award more than once, and also holds the record for the most manager of the month awards – again with six. Her three in the 2019-20 season were another record, matched last season by Manchester United’s Marc Skinner.

Hayes has also amassed the most games (195) and wins (137) as a WSL manager, all with Chelsea after taking the reins in 2012. In the case of wins, she is the only manager in three figures – with former Manchester City boss Nick Cushing second on a