'It would be amazing' - Lionesses star Lauren James eyeing Champions League win to give Chelsea boss Emma Hayes perfect send-off

Hayes will conclude her remarkable 12-year tenure at Chelsea to assume the role of head coach for the United States Women’s national team at the end of the current season. During Hayes' reign, Chelsea has enjoyed unparalleled success, clinching six Women’s Super League titles, five FA Cups, and two League Cups. But she is yet to conquer Europe and the Blues forward remains determined to achieve continental glory with Hayes before she jets off to the USA.

Speaking to PA news agency, James said: "I think it would be amazing, it’s something that everyone wants and dreams of. It’s something this club have been working towards for a while now. Hopefully, in Emma’s final year, we can get that far.

“I think (the Champions League) is a good experience, the games have been a bit quicker because you’re playing against different opponents from different countries with different styles of play.”

James, who joined Chelsea in 2021 at the age of 19, has flourished under Hayes' guidance. She recently earned the Barclays Player of the Month award in January after scoring five goals in two games, including a hat-trick against Manchester United. Reflecting on her collaboration with Hayes, James highlighted the mutual respect and understanding they share and added: "It’s good working with Emma, our relationship is close as everyone can probably imagine. I think highly of her and hopefully, we can achieve good things this year together. At that moment I was disappointed and it hit you, but that’s the relationship we have. It’s football and people move on, I’ll just have to focus on Chelsea."

James' impressive goal-scoring performances have propelled Chelsea to the top of the Women’s Super League standings, where they currently lead by three points ahead of a crucial showdown against Manchester City on Friday. They will return to European action in March when they are slated to face Ajax in the last eight of the UEFA Women's Champions League.