When will Sam Kerr make a return for Chelsea? | OneFootball

The Australian star is set to be sidelined for another month or two as her injury recovery continues to take longer than orginally expected.

Kerr, 31, ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a winter training camp with Chelsea back in January 2023. For high performance athletes, time spent off the pitch with an ACL injury usually ranges between 8-12 months. With Februrary now in full swing, Kerr has commenced her 13th month of extraneous knee recovery.

With the striker seemingly facing setbacks in her recovery, Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor told media in December that we aren't likely to see Kerr for "at least two or three months more".

“I would say Sam we are looking to maybe have back with us February, March, not before that," she explained.

“She hasn't started to train yet, even being modified with the group, so she’s still on her individual process rehab and I think it will take at least two or three more months for her to be fit enough to be with the squad.”

Kerr has scored 69 international goals for Australia. / Sipa USA-Imagn Images

Chelsea currently sit seven points clear of the top of the Women's Super League (WSL) standings, unbeaten across all 21 fixtures of the 2024-25 season.

Despite the Blues coping well in Kerr's absence, the same may not be said for Australia who will come head-to-head with the U.S women's national team (USWNT) at the SheBelieves Cup later in the month.

The invitational tournament will take place between February 20-26, alongside other contenders Japan and Colombia. Kerr has not been named in Australia's roster for the upcoming tournament.