Emma Hayes ‘gutted’ for Sam Kerr following Chelsea star’s knee ligament injury with striker to undergo operation

EMMA HAYES admits to feeling “gutted” for Sam Kerr after revealing the Chelsea ace is undergoing surgery today following her season-ending knee injury .

The Blues striker, 30, ruptured an anterior ligament during her club’s winter training camp in Morocco.

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Sam Kerr will miss the rest of this season after sustaining an ACL injury during Chelsea’s winter training camp earlier this month[/caption]

Emma Hayes says the Kerr’s team-mates and the club will be there to support her with her rehabilitation and recoveryGetty

Hayes, whose side will face West Ham in the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday, says the Australia ace suffered the injury whilst practicing her shooting.

The Chelsea gaffer told Sky Sports: “I’m gutted for her. I’m gutted for the team.

“These things happen in football, she knows that.

“I think the important thing is we’re here to support her. The recovery and the rehab begins today.

“She did it doing a football action she does every day, turning and shooting. It’s something very simple and innocuous.”

Since her January 2020 Blues debut Kerr has been a key players for the WSL leaders helping them win three WSL titles, three FA Cups and two Conti Cup trophies.

This season the striker, who has been serving as a stand-in skipper for crocked club captain Millie Bright, notched up four goals in eight top-flight games

And she scored five times in four Champions League matches.

While Hayes admits Kerr’s presence on the pitch will be missed, she insists the focus needs to be on players who are fit with Chelsea chasing a seventh WSL crown and Champions League glory.

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Chelsea’s fourth round Women’s FA Cup clash with West Ham could see Nathalie Bjorn make her debut for the club after signing from Everton[/caption]

The Blues gaffer, who will leave the club at the end of this season to become USA Women’s head coach, added: “I know Sam would expect me to say nothing less than our focus has got to be on the players that are fit.

“We have a quality squad and it’s a good challenge for me as a coach to find those solutions. I trust in the squad that we have.

“We’ve added to that as well. I think the focus and the attention has to go on the players that are here.”