A technically gifted box-to-box midfielder, Potter has forged new ground after putting pen to paper on her first professional contract with the Blues, making her the first female player in England to sign a professional deal at 17 years of age.

Speaking on committing to Chelsea, Potter said: ‘It’s an absolute dream come true for me and my family. I’ve been here since I was eight years old and it’s everything you could ever dream of. I’m really grateful and really excited for the future.’

General manager Paul Green commented: ‘Lexi is a very bright prospect and we’re really proud that we have been able to make her the first female player to sign a professional contract at the age of 17 in the country. We’ve got really high hopes for her in the future and look forward to seeing her develop and improve in the upcoming years.

‘We believe the loan to Crystal Palace is a great opportunity for Lexi to gain minutes playing in a competitive league and will be a good step for her to experience senior football.’

Having been with Chelsea since the age of eight, Potter has enjoyed success along the way. She was integral in winning the FA Youth Cup at Under-16 level and was also part of the FA Women’s Academy Cup final triumph over Manchester United towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

At international level, Potter was captain of the England Under-17 team that reached the semi-finals of the UEFA European Championships in Estonia this summer, where the team narrowly missed out on a place in the final.

Everyone at Chelsea would like to congratulate Lexi on this fantastic achievement, and we wish her every success during her time on loan with Crystal Palace.