OFFICIAL: Australia striker Sam Kerr signs new Chelsea contract until 2026

Sam Kerr has signed a new Chelsea contract.

The deal is the first major move by Chelsea since the appointment of Sonia Bompastor, who left Lyon to replace Emma Hayes as head coach last month.

Striker Kerr is currently working her way back from an ACL injury suffered during a warm-weather training camp in Morocco in January.

The Australia international signed for Chelsea in 2019 and has played a pivotal role in five WSL title wins, three FA Cup triumphs and two League Cup victories.

Who is new Chelsea boss Bompastor?

Sonia Bompastor has succeeded Emma Hayes, but what makes the former Lyon boss right for the job?

There are two criteria that Chelsea were looking for when appointing a head coach to fill Hayes' impossibly large shoes.

Any new manager must maintain the success of the club. Chelsea have dominated domestic football in England for years, and have begun to assert themselves in Europe too.

A female coach has also been high on their wishlist. In Hayes, Chelsea have had a trailblazer. One of the game's chief champions who has been responsible for growth and change - a major player in improving the overall health of the sport.

The fact she has done so from a female perspective is equally important. Hayes entered the game at a time when very few female voices were taken seriously - a gap in experienced female head coaches still exists to this day.

And Bompastor fits both - she is another woman managing at a top European club, with a proven track record of success.

Sam Kerr has signed a contract extension with Chelsea, keeping the Matildas superstar in west London until at least 2026.

Kerr's future with the Blues had been clouded by uncertainty, with her previous deal set to expire this summer while injuries and off-field drama have served as an unwelcome distraction this season.

The 30-year-old has pleaded not guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer arising from an alleged incident in Twickenham, south-west London on January 30, 2023.

In January of this year, reports circulated that Kerr had penned a new deal with Chelsea but no official confirmation came, further pouring fuel on the fire of speculation about her future.

The club, however, have always backed the Matildas captain, with former coach Emma Hayes launching a staunch defence of Kerr's character in the immediate aftermath of the Twickenham bombshell.

And Chelsea have officially confirmed Kerr's stay at the club, with the English giants renaming their iconic Stamford Bridge ground 'Samford Bridge' as part of their big announcement on Thursday.

They also temporarily renamed their Cobham training ground from Kingsmeadow to 'Kerrsmeadow' in honour of the big occasion.

The Matildas skipper has been sidelined since picking up a serious knee injury in January, robbing her of the chance to play as Chelsea won the Women's Super League title for a fifth straight year.

Her ruptured anterior cruciate ligament crushed her dream of representing Australia at the Paris Olympics in July, with her omission from the team officially confirmed in May.

In the meantime, Kerr is enjoying a summer break away from the pitch.

She jetted off to Mexico for a luxury holiday with her fiancee and fellow footballer Kristie Mewis, spending time at a top resort in Los Cabos.

The Viceroy hotel boasts incredible views of the Sea of Cortez, five picturesque swimming pools, state-of-the art rooms overlooking the water, a rooftop bar and several gourmet dining options.

Last month, Kerr and Mewis treated their social media followers to glimpses of their stylish vacation, showing them getting dressed to the nines for a meal, lounging about in their room, riding ponies and even watching a performance by a performer who dances with fire while being twirled around by her hair.

One clip from Mewis's TikTok shows her dancing as she puts on make-up before going out, with Kerr entering the room and flashes the engagement ring she publicly debuted back in April.

Kerr repeatedly captioned photos of the hotel with the words 'in paradise' as she posted shots of her fiancee taking in the surrounds.