Kelly’s Resurgence: From Setbacks to Key Player for Arsenal and England

omidbasir- Around this time last year, Chloe Kelly began to make a notable impact in a pivotal 2025 for herself, her club, and her country. After securing a loan move from a challenging situation at Manchester City, Kelly made her second debut for her childhood club Arsenal during the North London derby on February 16. This appearance allowed her to join the England squad, which she had initially missed for that month’s international fixtures.

A couple of weeks later, Kelly scored a goal and provided an assist in her first Women’s Super League (WSL) start in nearly five months. This performance sparked a remarkable run of form for a player who had seen minimal playing time in the first half of the season. With two goals and five assists in the final 12 matches of Arsenal’s campaign, she played a crucial role in helping the Gunners secure a Champions League berth for the current season and ultimately clinch the European title in May.

Given her outstanding finish to the season and her history of delivering significant moments for England, it was perhaps unsurprising that Kelly took center stage at the start of Euro 2025, despite not starting any matches for the Lionesses. The winger contributed either a goal or an assist in all three of England’s knockout matches and scored in both penalty shootouts that led to victories as Sarina Wiegman’s team retained their title from 2022, a campaign that also featured a decisive goal from Kelly.

“She loves these moments,” Wiegman remarked about Kelly after her decisive penalty in the shootout against Spain. “She truly desires to take the penalty. Scoring that under pressure is very impressive.”

With the momentum from her successful season, Kelly was anticipated to carry that energy into the 2025-26 season, now with Arsenal on a permanent basis. However, things did not unfold as expected.

Kelly missed a match at West Ham early this season due to an injury and visibly managed issues with her right knee for several weeks thereafter. As a result, she struggled to find her rhythm, recording only two goals and three assists in 12 appearances before being sidelined again during England’s final match of 2025.

Following nearly two months off the field, she returned just in time to contribute to Arsenal’s FIFA Women’s Champions Cup victory at the end of January. The good news is that Kelly is back, ready for the critical matches that she typically thrives in. Recently, she has been incrementally increasing her playing time, with substitute appearances against AS FAR, Corinthians, and Manchester City before starting in Leuven, where she looked sharp despite her hiatus.

In Belgium, Kelly played an hour before being substituted for Alessia Russo and made a notable impact, particularly with her perfectly placed delivery for Olivia Smith’s goal. She registered three accurate crosses, only surpassed by Katie McCabe’s four, who played the entire 90 minutes. Kelly’s passing was precise, her play was proactive, and her defensive contributions were commendable in a dominant victory.

“I’m feeling really good, building fitness and momentum, and shaking off the rustiness,” she stated after the match.

Although Arsenal’s match against Brighton was postponed, Kelly has two important fixtures before the upcoming international break to further enhance her fitness. On Wednesday, the Gunners will host Leuven for the second leg of their Champions League playoff, followed by an FA Cup tie against Bristol City over the weekend. As reigning European champions, Arsenal will be favored in both matches, providing Kelly an opportunity to regain her form without excessive pressure.

Her return is particularly timely for England, as the Lionesses will be without both Ella Toone and Beth Mead during the upcoming international break following the FA Cup weekend. Kelly’s creative ability could prove vital in crucial World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland, teams likely to adopt a defensive stance against England.

Looking ahead, critical matches are on the horizon. Unless Leuven produces a remarkable upset on Wednesday, Arsenal faces a two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea in a few weeks, alongside anticipated involvement in the FA Cup quarter-finals. In the WSL, each match is significant due to the competitive nature of the race for European qualification. Following the postponement of their trip to Brighton, the Gunners find themselves four points behind Chelsea for the final UEFA Women’s Champions League spot, despite having two games in hand.

Fortunately for Arsenal, Kelly is a player who excels in high-stakes situations, and they have an optimal timeline to reintegrate her before these crucial matches.

“We’ve missed her,” Gunners manager Renee Slegers commented upon Kelly’s return to the pitch at the end of last month. “She’s incredibly eager and engaged, which was evident during her play. Her desire to make an impact is palpable, and it’s fantastic for our team to have Chloe back.”

Kelly is a player who not only influences matches but often determines the outcomes of the most significant games. Both Arsenal and England anticipate that she will reaffirm this once more before the conclusion of what has been, due to factors beyond her control, a challenging season.