Emma Hayes is futureproofing the left-back position at Kingsmeadow by announcing the signing of 20-year-old Russian defender Alsu Abdullina.

Alsu, who turns 21 in April, means Chelsea Women’s captain Magda Eriksson now has a top-class rival (and possible successor) in her position on the left of defence… with Jonna Andersson now being forced to weigh up her future in blue.

Alsu, who is spending Christmas polishing her English language, joins from Lokomotiv Moscow on a deal until the summer of 2024. She has been given the No27 shirt.

She has experience in the Women’s Champions League – something Chelsea desperately need having been unceremoniously dumped out of this year’s competition at the group stage, having progressed to the final last year.

Alsu has already won a cabinet full of silverware in Russia. “I am so happy to join Chelsea,” she said. “This is a big change in my life, a new challenge. I am very proud to be part of this team, which has so many great players. I want to continue to develop as a player and progress in London.”

Hayes describes her as “a very good young player who has accumulated a lot of club and national appearances for her age, including winning the league a number of times with Lokomotiv”. She said that she was a versatile left-footer who will “add more depth to the squad”.

The Blues needed the boost of a new signing, having stagnated in the weeks following their FA Cup win at Wembley against Arsenal on December 5… a victory that seems a lifetime ago after stuttering draws and defeats ahead of the Christmas break.

Although Eriksson’s position as captain and left back is secure, a question mark hangs over fellow Swede Jonna Andersson’s future. She is already struggling for regular game time, and the recent European exit of the Blues limits opportunities even further and must now hasten a decision on whether to leave Chelsea in January to get more week-in-week-out football with another club.

Pics: Chelsea FC