The 27-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Norwegian side Klepp, departs after three-and-a-half-years at the club.

During her time at Chelsea, Thorisdottir made 49 appearances, with 31 of them being starts. The defender, who can also play in midfield, scored two goals over the years, one of which was a crucial strike in a 2-1 London derby against Arsenal last season.

The Norway international, who joined in September 2017, made 26 appearances in her first term with the Blues and played an important role in our 2017/18 Double-winning campaign. She made her Chelsea debut on the right-hand side of a back three in our league opener against Bristol City, which resulted in an emphatic 6-0 victory.

However, injuries unfortunately hindered Thorisdottir’s playing time with the Blues. She suffered concussion in October 2018 against Liverpool which meant she had a long spell out of action and then in October 2019, she fractured her ankle in training which resulted in surgery, keeping her sidelined until February 2020.

Manager Emma Hayes said on Thorisdottir’s departure:

‘Maria has been a great asset to the team and we would like to thank her for her contributions both on and off the pitch during her time at Chelsea. I wish her all the best for the future.’

Chelsea would like to thank Maria for her service during her time with the club and wish her every success for the future.