Chelsea's Mayra Ramirez may miss rest of season after injury setback, Sonia Bompastor says

Chelsea’s record-signing striker Mayra Ramirez is in danger of missing the remainder of the 2025–26 campaign after sustaining a fresh injury during her rehabilitation, Blues head coach Sonia Bompastor confirmed on Thursday.

Ramirez, 26, has yet to make a competitive appearance this season after rupturing a hamstring in a pre-season fixture last August. Although the Colombia international was initially expected to return in early 2026, a series of setbacks has now placed her availability for the rest of the season in serious doubt.

“Mayra was progressing well, but she picked up a new injury in her rehab again,” Bompastor told reporters. “It’s been a really tough and difficult season for her. I’m not sure we will see her until the end of the season, unfortunately.”

The former Levante forward, signed for a world-record women’s transfer fee of €450,000 plus €50,000 in add-ons in January 2024, scored four goals in 17 Women’s Super League outings last term. Her prolonged absence compounds a growing injury list at Kingsmeadow, where Chelsea are also without captain Millie Bright for Sunday’s League Cup final against Manchester United. Bompastor admitted Bright’s recovery is “taking a little bit longer than what we expected” and declined to set a return date.

There was better news regarding centre-back Nathalie Bjorn, who has been cleared to rejoin the squad after a hamstring issue sidelined her since December. Kadeisha Buchanan, back from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept her out for more than a year, is also available after featuring in the FA Cup win over Manchester United.

Full-back Niamh Charles (ankle) and forward Catarina Macario (heel) remain unavailable, while strikers Sam Kerr and Ellie Carpenter will be on international duty with Australia at the Asian Cup this weekend.

Bompastor stressed the club is providing comprehensive support for Ramirez, who she says is “struggling mentally” after months on the sidelines. “I spoke with her yesterday. She’s really low right now. That’s normal. But everyone in the club is making sure we are supporting her in the right way, and we are providing her what she needs.”

Chelsea enter Sunday’s cup final aiming to secure silverware despite an ever-lengthening casualty list that continues to test the depth of Bompastor’s squad.