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England midfielder Keira Walsh says adjusting to playing for Women's Super League champions Chelsea last January was the "worst feeling".
The 28-year-old spent three years at Barcelona before returning to the UK in the winter transfer window of the 2024-25 season.
Despite helping Chelsea claim a domestic treble and remain unbeaten in the WSL last season, she recognises it was difficult to reacclimatise to English football.
"Nobody likes being the new person at school," she said. "It takes time to get over it."
Boasting 99 caps for England, many of them majestic performances, Walsh was not some nervous rookie when she made the switch to west London.
Before her three years playing for dominant European giants Barcelona, she spent eight seasons at Manchester City, winning the WSL once, three FA Cups and four League Cups.
During her spell in Spain, she won the Champions League twice, Liga F three times and the Spanish Cup twice.
She has also obviously tasted success on the international stage with the Lionesses, winning the European Championship in 2022 and 2025.
But her comments betray the insecurities felt by even the world's best when faced with a move to new surroundings, especially halfway through a campaign.
"You don't have a lot of time to get your life together, and I was moving from one country to another," she said. "I'd gone from one completely different style of football back to England.
"You don't have that pre-season to get to know the players or the style. And you don't get a grace period."
Pocketing three trophies within a few months of arriving at a club has to help a player settle, and Walsh can add another League Cup to her medal haul on Sunday when Chelsea face Manchester United at Ashton Gate in Bristol.
They are also into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they face Arsenal later this month, and of the FA Cup, where they will play Tottenham in April.
The Blues' WSL defence has faltered in the face of Manchester City's dominance this season, but Walsh insists Sonia Bompastor's side can still have a successful season, even if their run of six straight titles is likely to end.
"It's very difficult to win the league every year consecutively," she said. "It's almost unheard of, that's what is special about Chelsea.
"We still have the EFL Cup, the FA Cup and Champions League. If we win all three, that will still be a special season."
Chelsea broke their club record to sign Alyssa Thompson in September 2025 for a fee just under £1m
While Walsh is a serial winner, lining up alongside her on Sunday will be another of Chelsea's statement signings from 2025, Alyssa Thompson.
Like her experienced team-mate, 21-year-old Thompson also told BBC Sport of her trepidation when first arriving at Kingsmeadow.
"I had low expectations for myself because I was scared about being in England, away from everyone I knew," said the USA forward. "I didn't know if people would like me.
"It was daunting because of the calibre of players at Chelsea."
She has impressed for Bompastor's side this season, scoring six times in the WSL and providing a threat with her searing place and clever movement.
However, despite the Blues' outlay in the past 14 months – they also briefly broke the women's transfer world record to acquire centre-back Naomi Girma in January 2025 – results have taken a downturn.
Not that Thompson is accepting this.
"Winning at Chelsea is written in the DNA," Thompson said. "That's why people come here and one of the reasons I did. It's a huge part of our culture.
"When you put on the Chelsea jersey, you know what you have to bring. No-one has told me that but I feel it from the team.
"It's unspoken in the locker room."
Thompson has enjoyed her time on international break, named player of the tournament in the SheBelieves Cup where USA won their three games against Argentina, Canada and Colombia.
Before going away, Chelsea knocked Sunday's opponents Manchester United out of the FA Cup in extra time and this game will be a rematch of last season's FA Cup final, also won by Bompastor's side.
"I'm so excited," Thompson added. "I've never won a senior trophy!"
Whether or not the SheBelieves Cup now counts as silverware in her eyes, Thompson will hope to be celebrating again on Sunday.
Chelsea's intimidating record of 15 wins and just one defeat in 18 games against Manchester United puts history, at least, on her side.
