Naija we dey yarn about football, Chelsea don finally announce say dem don sign France striker Melvine Malard from Manchester United for four-year contract. The deal wey The Guardian yarn about last week don become official, with Chelsea paying about £850,000 for the 26-year-old forward.
Malard, wey dey very happy, say she get plan for her life and career, and Chelsea na part of that plan. Her objective na to become better every day and to win trophies. She know say Chelsea always get that as objective.
The France international don play under Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor for Lyonnes before. Bompastor na the same woman wey recruit Malard to Lyon academy when she dey 14 years old. Now dem go work together again for Stamford Bridge.
Malard say Sonia don be very influential for her and her family. If Sonia no call her mum and take her to Lyon, she for no dey here today. She do so much for Malard when she dey Lyon. Now whenever she see Sonia she feel proud because Sonia na the one wey tell her to come to Lyon in the first place. So e dey amazing to get opportunity to join her again.
Malard move to England for summer of 2023 to join Manchester United, first on loan and then permanent. She get 21 goal contributions for 57 appearances during her three years for North-West. Now she dey hope say she fit reach new heights under Bompastor tutelage.
She think and hope say working with Sonia again go help her reach the next level because Sonia know her well. She know where Malard fit improve and where she need to push her more. Sonia take Malard to Lyon when she dey 14, so she know plenty about her.
Malard grow up for small island of Reunion, near Madagascar for Indian Ocean. She try boxing and play handball with her sister but football na her true passion. Because Reunion na France overseas region, her football teams dey included for France regional competitions. Na for one of those for Clairefontaine where Bompastor spot the teenage Malard.
When Sonia call her mum to ask about Melvine moving to France, e no take time before the teenager pack her bag. Malard say e no problem to leave her home because she want to be professional footballer and e don dey inside her head. She say e be her opportunity so she leave her family and live alone for Lyon for two years before her family come to France too. She be person wey if she want something, she go and get am.
Malard don win Champions League three times before Bompastor become Lyon head coach for 2021, but she say she only play small part for each victory. But when Lyon reach another final for Turin for 2022, Malard start for the match as dem beat Barcelona 3-1.
She say wearing Chelsea shirt fit bring pressure, but e be good pressure because everyone want better. Everyone want to win trophies, improve and progress as team. E be hard work, but good work.
Malard don sign four-year contract with Chelsea and when dem ask her wetin she hope to achieve, she say to become top striker, win trophies with Chelsea and continue winning because Chelsea don win plenty trophies over the years. She want to keep that going, enjoy herself and be happy for London with her wife.
No team don win Women’s Super League more than Chelsea, but one trophy wey don elude dem na Champions League. With several members of coaching staff and players wey don lift the famous trophy before, Malard dey confident say Chelsea fit claim their first European crown for coming years. She say winning Champions League na one of her objectives. She know Chelsea never win am, so she think e be the trophy the club really want. She hope dem fit win am while she dey there.
Malard say Chelsea get very good mix of players: experienced players, young players, fun players and very focused players. E dey very good to get that mix, and she dey excited to see the girls.
Manchester United wey Malard leave, don get record sale for the club from this deal. United go reinvest the fee into the squad. Dem don already make one summer signing, full-back Andrea Medina from Atletico Madrid, but more incomings dey expected after departures of Leah Galton, Hannah Blundell, Sienna Wareing, Millie Turner, Lisa Naalsund and Malard.
Malard na Chelsea third signing for summer, after former Arsenal full-back Katie McCabe and forward Manaka Matsukubo from North Carolina Courage. She spend seven seasons at Lyonnes, winning four Champions Leagues, three league titles and two Coupes de France.
