The 27-year-old arrives at the Blues having experienced considerable success with club and country. She won every domestic honour at both Manchester City and Barcelona, lifted two UEFA Champions League trophies during her time in Spain, and triumphed at the European Championships with England.

We sat down with Walsh at Stamford Bridge earlier this week to reflect on some of the most impactful moments of her career en route to SW6…

Growing up playing in Rochdale

Walsh’s love for the game started at home with her dad Peter who would also be one of her first coaches. It was an obsession that didn’t take long to transpire.

‘I always wanted to be a daddy’s girl, so whatever he was interested in, I just wanted to do that,’ Walsh says. ‘I always saw him watching football on the TV and it just started from there.

‘I just loved the game. When we used to go out for dinner, I would take a ball in the car and I’d be doing kick-ups outside of the restaurant waiting to go in. We’d go in and eat and I’d come back outside to play. It was just constant.

‘It got to the point me and my mum used to have arguments over it because I wanted to take a ball everywhere we went!’

When Walsh was not playing in restaurant car parks, she was featuring for a local boys' team in Rochdale called Pearson Juniors.

Playing with boys meant Walsh had to develop skills on the ball that made up for her lack of physicality due to her height. A key building block, she says, for the technical player she was to become.

‘I think because I was really small, even for a girl, and played against the boys, I had to think faster,’ Walsh explains. ‘I couldn’t compete physically, so I had to see the game a little quicker.

‘I actually started playing left-back even though I’m not left-footed, but I just had to learn things quickly. I think that’s why I play the way I do now.’

Domestic double with Manchester City

A first taste of silverware arrived whilst at City in 2014, but it was in 2016 when Walsh’s former club enjoyed an even more impressive season, winning a maiden WSL title without losing a game and lifting their first FA Cup at Wembley.

‘What I remember was the feeling in the changing room afterwards of how happy we were,’ the midfielder says. ‘I don’t always remember the specific game where we won the league or specific moments from the final, but it’s more the feeling of the team.

‘We had a good group of girls who were so fun and genuine. We loved going to work every day.

‘And that’s the biggest thing for me in football – the camaraderie you get with your team-mates. I’ve made some of my best friends for life through playing this sport.’

The domestic double-winning campaign was only Walsh’s third season as a professional player at City.

‘Sometimes in the moment, you don’t have time to sit and think about it,’ she adds. ‘I was just rolling with it. I’d signed my first contract, won the League Cup, then we went and won the league and FA Cup.

‘I had a good relationship with the manager Nick Cushing and that played a massive part for me. He was one of the biggest influences on my career and getting me to be confident at that level. I can’t thank him enough.

‘I look back on that time of my career with real fondness.’

First England cap

Walsh’s experience on the youth international stage was not always straightforward. She would often be selected for camps and then not be called up to the next.

So when a first senior call-up and appearance came to fruition against Kazakhstan in 2017, it made the milestone even sweeter. Even more so as the person who gave her her debut was someone who had played a big part in Walsh’s development.

‘Nobody forgets their first appearance because you are so nervous!’ Walsh says. ‘It was Mo Marley who was interim manager at the time and I had a really special relationship with her.

‘She was my manager at Under-19s. When I was younger, my time with England had always been a bit rocky. I would be picked for camps and then not selected for the next.

‘When I arrived at her age group, she really motivated me and took me under her wing to get better.

‘That helped me kick on so it was a full-circle moment that she was the one to give me my debut. I remember her sitting me down at the hotel reception to tell me I was starting and I couldn’t believe it.

‘It was my first camp and I was actually playing in the ten which I don’t normally play, but she just really believed in me. Just having that confidence from someone really pushed me on.

‘I remember being so nervous because playing for England is what you dream of as a kid. You never think it’s going to come true. It was a very special day for me and my family.’

Winning the European Championships

After winning her first cap, Walsh would go on to establish herself with the Lionesses. Her impact on the national team was never more clear than the 2022 European Championships.

The midfielder played a vital role as England’s women's team won a maiden major tournament, beating Germany 2-1 at Wembley in the final.

‘I always say there are just no words to describe it,’ Walsh says. ‘It’s hard to describe how it felt. Even now, it just brings back so many happy emotions.

‘The feeling of winning at home, in front of friends and family, and seeing all the England shirts in the Wembley crowd was so special.

‘The moment for me was when we sang the national anthem before the game. I had goosebumps because the whole crowd was just roaring.

‘Everyone dreams of winning a trophy for England and it was just the absolute pinnacle to do that at Wembley against Germany.

‘Even from the start of the tournament, there was almost an air of invincibility about us. It wasn’t arrogance, but we just knew what we needed to do to go and win. Everybody was committed to doing that.

‘I look back on the whole tournament with such fondness because the whole six weeks was incredible.'

Winning the Champions League

Following on from the successful summer with England, Walsh made headlines when she joined Spanish giants Barcelona for a then world-record fee.

The midfielder arrived with a goal in mind – to win the Champions League. She did just that in her first season, playing a crucial part in the final as Barca came from 2-0 down to defeat Wolfsburg 3-2.

‘It was crazy,’ Walsh says. ‘It was one of the reasons why I signed for Barcelona. I wanted to win the Champions League.

‘I never expected to win it in my first year because it is such a difficult competition. There are so many teams who can win.

‘Obviously, we were 2-0 down at half-time, so nobody thought we could go and turn it around, but we did. The one thing I’ll never forget from that game is going in at half-time and everyone was still so positive. We believed we were going to win.

‘What a second half. We managed to score three goals. Barcelona has such a big heritage, so to be a part of that and to win the Champions League was great.

‘It took a bit of time to sink in because you’ve got so much adrenaline from the game.

‘When I went over to my parents at the end and had a picture of the trophy, I just realised everything they had done for me to get me to that point in my career. It was moments like that where I had to pinch myself.

‘That little girl who took the ball to the restaurant with her mum and dad had just won a Champions League.’