It’s been exactly a year since Chloe Kelly stood over that penalty in Basel, staring down Spain’s goalkeeper before firing England to back-to-back European Championship glory. Now, she’s channelling that same steely composure into a very different battle — getting her body right for Arsenal’s 2026-27 Women’s Super League campaign.
In a candid interview with BBC Sport, Kelly opened up about a frustrating injury-hit season and why this summer has been all about rebuilding herself from the ground up.
From Euro Hero to the Treatment Table
Kelly’s return to Arsenal was supposed to be a fairy tale.
After rejoining on loan in January 2025, she scored twice and assisted five times in half a season. She helped the Gunners win the Champions League. Then she went and scored the penalty that beat Spain in the Euro 2025 final.
“Tough times don’t last,” she said after that final in Basel. “Thanks to everyone that wrote me off. I’m grateful.”
Arsenal made her permanent deal a formality last summer. Everything pointed towards a massive season.
It didn’t happen.
A knee issue surfaced early in the 2025-26 campaign, and it never really went away. She managed just four WSL starts all year. Her total playing time? A meagre 470 minutes across 16 appearances. For someone used to being the difference-maker, that was tough to swallow.
“I had big goals to do amazing things at Arsenal in my first full season, and I was a little disappointed I wasn’t able to,” Kelly told the BBC.
Why This Summer Matters
Kelly hasn’t been wallowing, though. She’s spent the off-season doing the unsexy work — gym sessions, pitch work, and finding balance with proper rest.
“I think I needed this summer to work on myself physically, balancing working in the gym, on the pitch, and getting downtime,” she said.
It’s a mature approach from a player who’s already been through the lowest of lows. Remember, this is someone who tore her ACL in 2021, missed the delayed Tokyo Olympics, and then came back to score the winning goal in a European Championship final. She knows what it takes to rebuild.
And she’s honest about her vulnerability, too.
“In moments where I’m confident, I’ll show it, but that’s not always the case. In other moments, I need a little arm around the shoulder.”
That kind of self-awareness matters.
Head coach Renee Slegers clearly rates Kelly. She’s built an Arsenal squad capable of competing on every front — finishing second in the WSL, reaching the Champions League semi-finals, and winning the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in 2025-26.
All 13 WSL home matches will be played at the Emirates next season, and average attendances topped 33,800 last campaign. The stage is set. The question is whether Kelly can stay on it.
What’s Next for Kelly and Arsenal?
Kelly’s goal is refreshingly simple.
“I am in a really good place at the moment. My main goal is to stay fit and fresh all season and be ready when called upon.”
No big promises. No trophy talk. Just availability.
The WSL kicks off on September 4, and fixture announcements are due this week. There’s also the small matter of the Women’s World Cup in Brazil next year, with England facing a play-off route after finishing as runners-up in their qualifying group.
But Kelly’s not getting ahead of herself. “For me, I’ll think about the World Cup closer to the time,” she said. “My goals and assists are really important, so I’ll make sure I’m right at it.”
Arsenal don’t lack ambition — far from it. With summer signings Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, and Selina Cerci bolstering the squad, Slegers has the tools to mount a serious WSL title challenge for the first time in years.
What Kelly brings, though, can’t easily be recruited. She’s a big-game player with a knack for arriving at the right moment. The question has never been about talent. It’s always been about fitness. If this summer has given her body the reset it needed, Arsenal could have their secret weapon back just in time.
Can she rediscover that magic? If history is anything to go by, you wouldn’t bet against her.
