Chelsea have signed trailblazing striker Lauren James from Manchester United in an reportedly record-breaking deal for two Women's Super League clubs.
James has been a stalwart of United's squad since the club's formation ahead of the 2018–19 season. She scored her first goal in the Championship and the Women's Super League and was the first woman to score at Old Trafford.
The 19-year-old has been linked with a move away from Manchester for several months, with the top goal being a return to London.
United confirmed in a statement that Hannah Blundell's move to the Manchester club, which was announced earlier in the day, was part of a deal with Chelsea for James.
"It's a great feeling to be back home at a great club, a club I started when I was six years old," James said in a statement on Friday.
She’s finally back!!! Welcome home @laurenjamess22 💙💙 pic.twitter.com/WPtgHTIgni
— Reece James (@reecejames_24) July 23, 2021
"It's a great feeling now to be able to play for the first team and be back here for [Chelsea coach] Emma [Hayes] and the rest of the group.
"I'm excited to start and can't wait to meet all the fans at Kingsmeadow when the new season starts."
The Guardian has reported that his transfer is record-breaking for the most money exchanged ever between two WSL clubs.
"Lauren is an exciting, young talent that we have admired for some time," Hayes said.
"When the opportunity came to sign him, we thought now was the right time to bring him back to the club.
“We are excited to see how she develops in the coming years and look forward to welcoming her to pre-season training.”
She played with both Chelsea and Arsenal at youth level and made her senior debut for the latter when she was just 15 years old.
The striker then went down in the championship with the newly formed United and scored 14 goals in his first season, helping the team to WSL promotion when asked for the first time.
Injury interrupted parts of her 2020-21 season, but she leaves the club as their second all-time top scorer with 28 goals. Ella Toone leads the way with 32.
James, whose brother Reece also plays for Chelsea and England, received his first senior call-up from Phil Neville in November 2020.
James is the latest of several high profile names to leave the club along with USWNT World Cup winners Christen Press and Tobin Heath, both returning to the National Women's Soccer League and manager Casey Stoney resigning.
Jess Sigsworth, Jane Ross and Amy Turner have all left the club.
The Athletic have reported that there is anger in the squad over the facilities and care the club provides to the women's side, which is without a manager even after Stoney's departure.