Sam Kerr had Chelsea fans fearing the worst after releasing a fake exit announcement moments before clarifying she is staying at the club.
Kerr, 30, signed a two-year contract extension with the Blues on Thursday in a major boost for the Matildas captain who has struggled this season with injury issues and a court ordeal.
There had been doubts surrounding her future in west London, with her previous contract expiring this summer, and Kerr leant into that with a duplicitous announcement, taking inspiration from Jurgen Klopp’s bombshell Liverpool exit interview earlier this year.
‘Things that will stick with me the most will be the memories shared with fans and my teammates,’ she said in the video that sent fans into a spin.
But just 20 minutes later, Chelsea confirmed the video was a hoax and that Kerr was not going anywhere.
Daily Mail Australia understands that the idea for the major announcement twist was Kerr’s.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have temporarily renamed Stamford Bridge and the Kingsmeadow training ground to ‘Samford Bridge’ and ‘Kerrsmeadow’ respectively to celebrate the news.
Unsurprisingly, Blues fans were devastated by the initial announcement, and took to Twitter – now known as X – to express their disbelief.
Kerr has had a tricky time away from the pitch, pleading not guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer arising from an alleged incident in Twickenham, south-west London on January 30, 2023.
She was hit with another setback when her defence team’s efforts to have the charge thrown out failed, leaving her to face a four-day trial in February next year
More to follow.
