Chelsea star Erin Cuthbert opens up on 'utterly brutal' relationship with Emma Hayes - and admits manager's USWNT move could be 'a good thing'

The Scottish midfielder is enjoying her seventh season with Chelsea, with the Blues star making 124 appearances under Hayes. The 25-year-old opened up on her relationship with the manager and discussed how her move to the USWNT could turn out to be a positive thing for Chelsea's progression as a club.

Speaking toThe Athletic, Cuthbert said: "I’ll always be grateful to Emma, no matter what. She took the chance on me. She believed in me and told me how much she thought I was capable of. She said, ‘You might not play, you might play in the reserves’, but at least she told me and everything was real and honest from her.

“Everything that me and Emma are is based on honesty. She’s been utterly brutal to me at times and I’ve been utterly brutal to her at times. I like that we have that relationship, that we want to win. We will both do anything to achieve success. That’s who I want to surround myself with.”

On Hayes' USWNT move, she added: "It's going to be weird. It's going to be uncomfortable. But it's also exciting. Change is exciting. I'm going to miss Emma. She's been great for me, the team, the club. She personifies everything that Chelsea is — but change has to be exciting.

"I've been at the club a long time, so a fresh pair of eyes might be a good thing. Who's to say we can't go on and achieve the same success, if not more, with someone else?"

Hayes has been at the club since 2012 and has won a total of 15 trophies with the Blues, including six Women's Super League titles and five Women's FA Cup crowns. Hayes announced earlier this season that she had made the decision to join the USWNT after they fired Vlatko Andonowski after the 2023 Women's World Cup.

It is very likely that the midfielder will be one of the first names on the team sheet for Hayes until the end of the season, barring any injuries to the 25-year-old. The Blues are still fighting for a possible quadruple and can claim a first trophy in the form of the Conti Cup when they take on Arsenal this weekend.