NSWE green light Aston Villa Women to sign Chelsea star as record fee agreed
Aston Villa Women have agreed a fee with Chelsea to sign Oriane Jean-Francois.
NSWE internally sold Aston Villa Women after official documents on Companies House were revealed on Friday.
Villa have battled Profit and Sustainability Rules issues for a while, and disconnecting the women’s team means both sides will have more financial breathing space as different legal entities.
Aston Villa Women are ambitious and aim to one day challenge for the WSL league title.
The move for Jean-Francois is another step in the right direction.
Oriane Jean-Francois set for Chelsea Women’s record sale
Aston Villa Women have consistently remained in a comfortable position in the WSL over the years, with midtable finishes suggesting an extra bit of quality might be needed.
Natalia Arroyo’s side are currently finding themselves in a rough patch in terms of results, but with the January window open, the Spanish head coach can now receive reinforcements.
According to Ben Jacobs on Saturday, Chelsea Women are set to sell Jean-Francois to Aston Villa Women for a deal worth £450,000, which would be the Blues’ record sale.
The midfielder has struggled for game time under Sonia Bompastor and can be a useful addition in the centre of the park for Villa.
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Jean Francois is a serial trophy-winner
Jean-Francois’s primary position is central midfield, but the 24-year-old can also break up play in a more defensive role.
Although she hasn’t played much this season, Jean-Francois was integral to Chelsea’s treble-winning campaign last year, where she played 22 times in all competitions.
Jean-Francois’ season with Chelsea last campaign:
- Women’s League Cup (2024-25)
- WSL (2024-25)
- Women’s FA Cup (2024-25
Not to mention that the former PSG player also won the Coupe de France Feminine with the French giants before making the move to England.
Aston Villa Women have got a real gem on their hands if the deal goes through, and there’s a reason why she’s coming with such a hefty price tag.
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