Chelsea Women sign Colombia’s Mayra Ramírez for British record £384,000
Chelsea have announced the signing of the Colombia forward Mayra Ramírez from Levante for a reported British record transfer fee of £384,000 plus £42,000 in potential add-ons. The extras in the deal would make the transfer a world-record fee for women’s football.
The 24-year-old, who has 30 international caps, joins the Women’s Super League champions on a four-and-ahalf-year deal.
Previously at Huelva, Ramírez has scored 32 goals in 95 games across the last four years in the Spanish top flight. She arrives with Chelsea – who have also signed the defender Nathalie Björn from Everton in this transfer window – having recently lost the leading striker Sam Kerr to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Kerr agreed to sign a new deal with the club this week.
Ramírez said in a statement issued by the club: “I am very honoured to be a part of Chelsea. To be part of such a huge club is a dream come true and one I’ve had since I was a little girl.”
Chelsea’s manager, Emma Hayes, said: “I think everybody knows her qualities. She’s so excited to be here and we’re really, really excited to have her. Her physicality is unbelievable, it really is. She’s got so much size but presence and power and she’s quick with the ball. She’s a threat in the box, she scores goals. She doesn’t speak English, so two or three of us are helping her with that. It will take a little bit of time to settle. But I’m sure she will bring a lot of qualities to our league.”
Hayes said she was unsure whether Ramírez would be available on Saturday when the league leaders play at Brighton, saying: “I don’t actually know. I know she has trained this morning. In terms of international clearance, I don’t know at this moment in time.”