Chelsea Continue to Shrewdly Build for the Future as Magdalena Eriksson Signs New Deal

Chelsea have continued their shrewd recruitment policy and commitment to their long term vision by tying captain Magdalena Eriksson down to a new deal until 2023.

The Sweden international has been a mainstay in the Blues backline since joining the club from Linkopings FC in 2017, and captained the club to a league and cup double during her first season with the armband during the 2019/20 campaign.

Chelsea confirmed their captain's contract extension on the club's official website, which Eriksson said meant 'everything', adding: "There is nowhere else in the world I would rather be."

The news continues to demonstrate the sound infrastructure that Chelsea now have in place and the steady manner in which they build for the future.

Eriksson is Chelsea's unsung hero, a pillar of consistency at the back, dependability personified. Her consistent, cool, calming presence is almost a metaphor for the Blues' intelligent approach in the transfer market.

Many WSL teams have players on short, one-year contracts - sometimes this is the only option available to clubs due to the smaller budgets in the women's game.

But this can often be to the detriment of club stability and success. Teams take things a season at a time as opposed to thinking a couple of years in the future.

West Ham are the prime example of this. The Hammers have had a huge player turnover during their first two seasons in the WSL, and as a result have been maddeningly inconsistent. They've reached the FA Cup final and beaten Manchester United, but they've also suffered hefty defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal.

Chelsea's approach in recent seasons has been a little different, and this is what sets them apart as the club to aspire to be in the top flight.

The Blues brought in exciting youngsters Jessie Fleming and Niamh Charles during the transfer window in addition to world class superstars Melanie Leupolz and Pernille Harder, demonstrating their willingness to invest in youth and a build a club that is going to be competing at the top for years to come.

Beth England was also handed a bumper contract extension in July, putting pen to paper on a new four-year deal - an almost unheard of length in the women's game.

Erin Cuthbert followed suit later that month, committing her future to the club until 2023, with Guro Reiten and Millie Bright doing the same in August.

Chelsea were one of the few teams in the WSL who opted to not raid the NWSL for players during the transfer market. Many clubs took advantage of the uncertainty surrounding the league to pinch a selection of world class superstars on loan or on short-term deals; Christen Press, Tobin Heath, Rose Lavelle, Alex Morgan, Sam Mewis.

Many of these are simply on year-long deals, some with the potential of a second season. However, Chelsea have continued to invest in what they know and what has brought them so much success over the last five years. Should the NWSL come back bigger and better than ever next year and the exciting new arrivals are tempted back to the States (and who could blame them with the lure of Joe Biden?) Chelsea would be no weaker.

They have their trusted plan in place, and the ever dependable Eriksson is at the heart of it.