Sam Kerr ‘not rushing’ ACL recovery with no Chelsea return date set

The 30-year-old picked up the injury in training and missed out on the Paris Olympic Games

Shifa Jahan
Monday 09 September 2024 08:03 BST
Comments
Sam Kerr is determined to properly recover from an ACL injury in the hopes of avoiding another spell on the sidelines.
Sam Kerr is determined to properly recover from an ACL injury in the hopes of avoiding another spell on the sidelines. (REUTERS)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Chelsea forward Sam Kerr said she will not jeopardise her future in the game by rushing her recovery from a second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Kerr is Australia’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals in 128 appearances, but suffered the ACL injury during training with Chelsea in January and missed the Paris Olympics.

She also missed the 2012 London Games due to a similar injury.

“I’m not putting a date on my return, just making sure I get it right and making sure I feel good before I get back on the pitch,” Kerr told Optus Sport in an interview published on Monday.

“I mean, it’s my second ACL, so I know you need to take the time, you need to make sure it’s right and I’m doing everything I can. But definitely no rush for me, I want to make sure I can play for many more years to come.”

Kerr, who turns 31 on Tuesday, has signed a contract extension until 2026 with the Women’s Super League (WSL) champions.

Since joining Chelsea in the 2019-20 season, Kerr has won five WSL titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups. She also helped them reach the Women’s Champions League finals in the 2020-21 season.

Chelsea embark on a fresh start this season under French coach Sonia Bompastor after 12 years under former manager Emma Hayes.

Kerr said their main focus will be to win the Women’s Champions League after losing in the semi-finals last season.

“We’ve fallen short a few years in a row, and hopefully Sonia brings that to this club,” she added.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in