DREW SPENCE says calling time on her Blues career after a 14-year spell is one of the toughest calls she has had to make.
The WSL ace, who is Chelsea’s longest-serving player, tearfully announced she would leave this summer in an emotional video.
Drew Spence is set to leave Chelsea following their FA Cup final duel against Manchester CityCredit: Getty
Spence, who joined the Blues in 2008, has been a mainstay in Emma Hayes’ squad over the past ten years.
News of her departure comes four days after Ji So-Yun announced her exit with the South Korea star leaving the club at the end of this term after an eight-year stint.
Spence could be set to make her last Blues appearances against Manchester United in the league and Man City in the FA Cup final.
Speaking to Chelsea’s website, the midfield ace said: “This is probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.
“It’s like leaving your family.”
Blues boss Emma Hayes added: “I’ve watched Drew grow from a young player and blossomed as a senior pro.
“I’m excited about her next steps. She’s fully deserving of everything she’s achieved and she will join a group of legends for what she has done at this football club.
“Drew has epitomised everything that we have been about in my tenure.
“She’s watched the club grow from amateur to one of the top teams in Europe and she’s been instrumental in that journey.”
Spence, who was born in London, made her senior Blues debut back in 2009.
Since then, she has helped her side to 11 major trophy wins including five league titles, three FA Cups and two Continental Tyres trophies.
And the Jamaica international, who was also called up to the Lionesses squad in 2015, scored her 50th Chelsea goal this term.
This came during the club’s 5-0 FA Cup quarters trouncing of Birmingham in March.
And Spence says helping her team to their first-ever FA Cup triumph in 2015 was one of her proudest achievements.
The midfielder added: “The amount of trophies we won is such a proud achievement for me.
“I’ll probably say the first FA Cup final (we won) was such a big moment for us because the first (WSL) league title challenge we lost on the last day (of the 2014) season was so dramatic.
“Everyone was so distraught, so to win that first big trophy was so important for us.
“To get over that line to get to hear that final whistle was such a proud moment.
“From there we just kicked on and every year we just got better and better.”
Spence helped Chelsea to 11 major trophy winsCredit: Getty
Spence’s departure comes on a dramatic day for Chelsea amid reports of Roman Abramovich being warned the sale of the club could be blocked following his loan repayment u-turn.
It has emerged the Russian wants the £1.6billion he loaned to the club through an investment vehicle repaid in full as part of its sale.
This comes two months after his public statement in March in which he declared he would not be asking for any loans to be repaid.
