Chelsea completed one of the biggest transfers in WSL history – but was it necessary?

If you thought the transfer window had been a quiet one all around – think again.

The Premier League might have been lacking in big-name moves, but the WSL bore witness to one of the biggest transfers in its history.

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Just days before WSL deadline day, Chelsea Women made headlines as they signed Colombian striker Mayra Ramirez for £384,000 – a new British record transfer fee.

At the age of just 24, Ramirez has racked up 30 international caps, helped her country to a Women’s World Cup quarter-final and scored 32 club goals.

But the question is: did Chelsea really need her?

The highest-capped England player of all time, Fara Williams, thinks not.

The former Lioness, who also spent time at Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton, caught up with her former teammate Lianne Sanderson on talkSPORT’s Women’s Football Show to discuss the surprise signing of Ramirez.

But Williams, who made 177 appearances for England, expressed some doubts over the record-breaking move.

“I’m not sure (Chelsea needed a player like that),” she said. “I’m not sure she’s the ideal replacement for Sam Kerr in the short term.”

Chelsea striker Kerr was ruled out of the rest of this season after she picked up a dreaded ACL injury whilst on a pre-season training camp in Morocco.

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There are some fears that the Australian, who has scored 58 goals in 75 appearances for Chelsea, could have played her last minutes as a Blue given that her contract runs out this summer.

But should Kerr sign a new contract, Williams told talkSPORT that the sheer number of skilful forwards at Chelsea could make it extremely difficult for Ramirez to secure a regular place in the starting line-up.

For a player who has just broken the record for a British transfer fee, it would be a difficult situation.

Williams said: “Will she still play alongside Sam Kerr if Kerr signs a new contract after this year when she comes back from an ACL?

“How (will) that look for her as a player fighting in this Chelsea team?”

It would be difficult to claim that Chelsea have had many struggles at all this season.

They sit top of the WSL, have qualified for the Champions League knockout stages after remaining unbeaten in their group and look more than prepared to defend their FA Cup title.

Moreover, Kerr is by no means the only striker Ramirez will have to compete with to get minutes.

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When it came to attacking options, Williams explained that Chelsea’s recruitment over recent times had left them spoilt for choice.

She said: “(Mia) Fishel can play up there, and I think she gives them a different dynamic when they play.

“Play into her, she’s very good at holding up the ball players can work off of her – something Chelsea have never been able to do before.

“Lauren James as a false nine, Fran Kirby who for whatever reason isn’t really playing that much at Chelsea – I know she played at the weekend against Brighton, but if they can get her playing regularly I think she’s a good enough replacement, between her and James.”

Lionesses duo James and Kirby are two of Chelsea’s brightest stars and it would take some serious talent to keep them out of any starting XI.

Despite being just 22 years old, James has already taken the domestic and international worlds by storm.

January saw her score two successive WSL hattricks against Liverpool and Manchester United with the promise of many more to come.

Meanwhile, Kirby – the side’s all-time top-scorer – has been through a difficult few years with injury, but will be hoping to return to the excellent form she knows she is capable of.

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At her best, after all, she was an integral part of England’s Euro 2022-winning squad.

With such an embarrassment of riches to choose from, it is somewhat remarkable that manager Emma Hayes chose to bolster their ranks even more.

However, after 12 years as Chelsea manager, Hayes is departing at the end of the season to take on a new challenge as manager of the US Women’s National Team.

It is no secret that she is looking to go out on a high.

And Chelsea are now on track to do what has only ever been achieved by one English team: win the quadruple.

No team has won the WSL, the League Cup, the FA Cup and the Champions League in the same season since Arsenal did in in 2006/7.

Hayes and the Blues will be desperate to change that.

Williams added that it could well be the demands of these four taxing competitions that had influenced Chelsea to bring in the added ammunition that Ramirez could offer.

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She said: “Maybe squad depth is what Emma (Hayes) is thinking about, and who knows what (Ramirez) can come and do?

“But that’s a heavy price tag on her shoulders to be coming in and not do what Sam Kerr did, but certainly get some goals which Chelsea are going to need if they’re going to compete.”