have introduced the signing of Japan worldwide Manaka Matsukubo from NWSL aspect North Carolina Braveness.
The 21-year-old, who was named NWSL midfielder of the yr after scoring 11 targets and helping an extra 4 within the 2025 marketing campaign, joins the Blues on a five-year-deal. She turns into the west Londoners’ second signing of this switch window, after finishing a deal for former defender
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The joins Sonia Bompastor’s aspect after 19 targets in 60 appearances for the Braveness, ending a 3 yr spell in America, having moved from Japanese aspect Mynavi Sendai in August 2023.
In an announcement, Matsukubo mentioned: “I’m so excited to be becoming a member of Chelsea, a membership with a whole lot of historical past. As a small youngster, I adopted Chelsea as a result of it’s a membership everybody on the earth is aware of about.
“The membership has a powerful historical past of profitable trophies and has completed so nicely on the prime of the sport, so I couldn’t move up this chance, and I need to assist proceed this membership’s custom of profitable trophies for years to come back.”
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Matsukubo made her senior worldwide soccer debut in February 2025, serving to Japan win the SheBelieves Cup, earlier than profitable the Asian Cup in March after defeating hosts Australia. She has now collected 19 caps, scoring twice.