When Sam Kerr will return from ACL injury for Chelsea | OneFootball

Chelsea were back in action on Sunday after the winter break, cruising past Championship opposition Charlton Athletic by a 4-0 score-line in the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup.

Mayra Ramirez, Guro Reiten, Aggie Beever-Jones and Niamh Charles were all on the scoresheet, but Sonia Bompastor was still without a handful of key players.

Kadeisha Buchanan and Sophie Ingle are the long-term absentees after suffering ACL injuries, while Lauren James and the aforementioned Charles have only recently returned from injury.

Mia Fishel and Sam Kerr both suffered ACL injuries at the start of 2024 and supporters are eagerly awaiting their return as their recovery timelines near the one year mark. Kerr, in particular, has been one of Chelsea's most important figures since her WSL arrival from Chicago Red Stars back in 2020.

Sam Kerr hasn't played since 2023 / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Last January, Kerr sustained the injury while on a warm weather training camp in Morocco with the club and has been sidelined ever since. Neither Kerr nor Fishel have returned to full team training as of yet and are still some way from getting back on the pitch.

The pair travelled to Portugal with the squad for this year's warm weather training camp, but completed their own programme separate from the group. Bompastor previously hinted before Christmas that a February or March return is the likeliest scenario for Kerr.

"We are looking to maybe have her back with us [in] February [or] March, not before that," Bompastor told the media last month. "She's still on her individual process rehab. It will take at least two or three more months for her to be fit enough to be with the squad."

That would place her recovery timeline well over a year, but could allow her to be involved at a crucial point of the season as Chelsea charge towards another WSL title. The team have won nine of their ten league games so far this term and have dropped points on just one occasion.

Chelsea are six points clear at the top of the table, closely followed by Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United. The London club have also qualified for the knockout rounds of the Champions League as they look to finally end their wait for a European title.

The WSL leaders will travel to face West Ham United at the Chigwell Construction Stadium this weekend before they welcome Championship side Durham to Kingsmeadow in the quarter-finals of the newly rebranded Subway Women's League Cup next week.