Chelsea Women have appointed Sonia Bompastor as the club's new manager; Bompastor replaces Emma Hayes, who left Chelsea to join the United States Women's national team; She moves to Chelsea after three years at Lyon, where she won three league titles and the Women's Champions League
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The 43-year-old, who replaces Emma Hayes, joins Chelsea from Lyon after three years in charge at the French club where she won seven trophies, including three French league tiles and the Women's Champions League in 2022.
Bompastor won her third Division 1 Feminine in the 2023/24 season, but lost in Saturday's Champions League final against Barcelona.
Chelsea had a shortlist of four people to fill the head coach vacancy. It's understood Bompastor was always the preferred candidate and Lyon were due compensation, as she had another year left on her contract.
Chelsea have continued to work on player recruitment during the process to bring Bompastor in, but their new head coach will now work on transfers.
Bompastor will be accompanied by her assistants Camille Abily and Theo Rivrin. Abily retired in 2018 after a playing career in which she made 323 appearances for Lyon and earned 183 national team caps for France.
Chelsea general manager Paul Green said: "The sporting directors and I conducted a thorough and considered recruitment process to identify Emma's successor.
"Sonia's vision, coaching philosophy and winning mentality made her the outstanding candidate. She is a world-class coach with a proven track record of success on the biggest stages that will instantly command respect from the dressing room."
Chelsea's co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley added: "Sonia is the ideal candidate to build on Emma's legacy and take the team forward.
"She brings a wealth of experience from managing at the highest levels and winning trophies as a player and a coach. Her ethos and values align with Chelsea Football Club. We are all looking forward to having her on board."