Canadian Jessie Fleming turns pro, signs with FAWSL champions Chelsea

After a fantastic college career, Canadian women’s national team star Jessie Fleming’s next destination has finally been revealed.

The 22-year-old midfielder signed a three-year deal with Chelsea FC Women on Wednesday morning, ending months of speculation linking her with a number of leagues across Europe and North America.

Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Fleming spent her last four seasons with the UCLA Bruins, where she was one of the best players in the conference. She scored 25 goals in 75 matches for the Bruins, adding 22 assists.

She’s also been a mainstay with the Canadian women’s national team since 2013, making 77 appearances and scoring 10 goals. Making her senior debut at age 15, she has already been to two Women’s World Cups, and was part of Canada’s squad at the 2016 Olympic Games, where they picked up a bronze medal.

She moves to a Chelsea side that is cementing itself as one of the best in the women’s game. The Blues are the current FA Women’s Super League champions, beating Manchester City on a points per game basis after the season was ended prematurely due to COVID-19. They had one less point than City, but also played one less match, and were named champions.

“For Chelsea it was the players here and I wanted to be in a challenging environment,” Fleming said to Chelsea’s official website. “Having conversations with Emma [Hayes] and learning a bit more about the team, I was just really excited about the environment and what it has to offer.”

Fleming is the latest addition to a squad filled with international stars, including Australia’s Sam Kerr, South Korea’s Ji So-yun, and reigning FAWSL Player of the Season, England’s Bethany England. Emma Hayes was also named Manager of the Year.

Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images