Chelsea’s new signing Kadeisha Buchanan believes the Blues are well equipped to help him continue his run of Champions League success.
The Canada international was one of Emma Hayes’ priority summer signings for the Blues, who are targeting their fourth straight Women’s Super League title this season but have yet to conquer Europe.
The 26-year-old, who made her debut for the Blues in their 2-1 loss to Liverpool last weekend, won the Champions League five times with Lyon before signing a three-year deal with Chelsea in June.
While the WSL can certainly claim to be the most competitive women’s league in the world, Champions League glory has been almost non-existent, with Arsenal’s 2007 title being the only time an English club has tasted continental success.
Chelsea came close in 2021, losing to Barcelona in the final, but they failed to progress to the knockout stages in a Covid-plagued final campaign.
Buchanan, however, believes his new team is capable of rising to the challenge again.
“When I see them playing and when they are at their best I think they are the best team, obviously it’s about getting that consistency day in and day out,” she said.
“I think the girls here are amazing and I think that’s important. That bond off the pitch can definitely translate easily on the pitch.
“It’s all of those things that come together and make a champion team – and they’re already a champion team, because they’ve won every accolade in this league.
“It’s just when you get to the Champions League, obviously you can do better.”
The defender, who grew up watching her Jamaican father’s beloved Manchester United every weekend alongside her 11 siblings, has revealed her interest in joining the Blues was partly sparked by their performance against his own Lyon team in the semi-finals of the 2019 Champions League.
She admitted to pestering compatriot Jessie Fleming, who signed for Chelsea in 2020, about playing for the Blues, who face Manchester City in a sold-out Kingsmeadow on Sunday.
“I definitely stalked her over the years not knowing and knowing that maybe one day I would come,” Buchanan said.
“I probably asked, ‘How are the girls? How is Emma (Hayes)? How is it and how is it? Obtain my information before making my decision.