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Ameé Ruszkai8 Jan 2025AnalysisManchester City WomenC. KellyWSLEnglandEuropean ChampionshipWOMEN'S FOOTBALLFEATURES

England star Chloe Kelly must leave Man City - but January exit feels unlikely for Lionesses Euros hero

Sarina Wiegman is concerned by the 26-year-old's lack of game time ahead of Euro 2025, but she still might not get a well-needed winter transfer

It’s rare nowadays that the January transfer window throws up any truly blockbuster deals, with the drama often lacking as clubs wait until the summer to properly make statement signings. There are usually a few big names linked with winter moves, however, and in the women’s game, one of the main ones this month will be Chloe Kelly.

Despite being an integral member of the Manchester City team ever since she joined back in 2020, Kelly’s game time has plummeted this season. Having ranked among the top five outfield players for minutes in three of her previous four campaigns, excluding the 2021-22 season in which she was recovering from an ACL injury, the England winger is right near the bottom of that list this term, with only academy products and players who have been sidelined getting fewer opportunities.

With the 2025 European Championships looming, Kelly desperately needs to be playing in order to secure her spot in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad. But while all this sounds like the recipe for a January transfer, it still feels somewhat unlikely that an out route will materialise.

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    Contract standstill

    There are a few reasons why that is the case. First, Kelly’s contract expires in six months and there has been little movement on the front when it comes to a renewal. As such, it’s only natural that any potential buyers would be keen to wait until the summer to snap her up, rather than coughing up a fee now for a player who will be available on a free soon enough.

    Of course, some suitors may feel it necessary to strengthen in this January window, and thus be more tempted to pay a fee, but it’s often more unlikely.

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    Injuries galore

    What about a loan, then? That feels even more unlikely, owing to Man City’s injury list. Going into the winter break, head coach Gareth Taylor was without Lauren Hemp, Risa Shimizu, Vivianne Miedema, Khadija Shaw, Alex Greenwood and Sandy MacIver, with Kelly also suffering a knock in December while both Naomi Layzell and Laura Coombs were only just returning from setbacks of their own right towards the end of 2024.

    While it would be easier, though still tough, to point to a decent fee as a good reason for choosing to part ways with Kelly despite being in this situation, it’s not as justifiable with an unprofitable loan deal, especially given how many of those injuries concern City’s forward line. It would be a surprise for the club to sanction such a deal in these circumstances, without lining up a new face.

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    'Concern' for England

    If Kelly’s contract situation was different, or City’s squad was in a healthier place, it’d be easier to see an exit for the winger this month. Perhaps if City get another forward in - and they’ve been linked with a January move for Mexico sensational Lizbeth Ovalle - that will all change. But at the moment, it’s tough to see a path out of the club and towards the game time Kell craves as she targets a place in the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 squad.

    Kelly is battling for a spot in a competitive area when it comes to England, with the likes of Hemp, Lauren James, Beth Mead, Aggie Beever-Jones and Jess Naz all icompeting for spots, while versatile players such as Jess Park, Laura Blindkilde Brown, Grace Clinton and Fran Kirby all also able to operate out wide. Wiegman has already admitted that she’s concerned about Kelly’s game time and when the likes of James and Hemp return to fitness, it’ll become more difficult for the 26-year-old to get into the squad if her club minutes don’t increase.

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    Taking chances

    The good news is that there should be opportunities in the coming weeks. While Hemp, Miedema and Shaw have all been pictured in training during City’s trip to the United Arab Emirates, it’s unclear at the moment just how fit they are and it’s certainly unlikely they’ll be rushed back given their importance to the team’s ultimate goals this season.

    Despite a lack of opportunities, Kelly has shown some positive signs this season, making a strong impact off the bench at Everton in City's last outing. It couldn't inspire a comeback win, but it was a reminder of her quality and how dangerous she can be out wide.

    Her focus has to be on continuing to take those chances when they come, to impress Taylor to get more, and also make a mark on Wiegman to remain in her England squad and in her thinking for Euro 2025.

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    Time will tell

    But will Kelly get enough opportunities to stay in contention for her country? Or is a January move absolutely unnecessary in order for her to be on the plane to Switzerland this summer, to help England defend a European title that her strike in extra-time at Wembley allowed them to claim back in 2022?

    Unless things open up for her to depart - be it through new recruits, rapid returns to fitness for the likes of Hemp, Shaw and Miedema that convince City to entertain any offers for the out-of-favour winger, or an attractive offer from a very interested party - Kelly will just have to hope that she can do enough in this frustrating situation to earn her spot at Euro 2025.