FEATURED: Who is rumoured Chelsea target Abdullina? | OneFootball

With around a month to go until the winter transfer window opens, the transfer rumour mill has started to gather pace.

As seen in the summer, the majority of clubs in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League are likely to bolster their squads in the upcoming window with competition for league placings being stronger than ever before.

Chelsea are one club who are already being linked with players. Various media outlets from across Europe are linking one particular player to The Blues, that player being Russian defender Alsu Abdullina. The 20-year-old has been linked with the Barclays FA Women’s Super League champions for a while now and the rumours have recently resurfaced once again, although no English sources have suggested that Chelsea manager Hayes has an interest in the youngster.

Who is Abdullina and why would Chelsea be tracking the player? Here is the lowdown on one of the most talented young players in Russian football.

Abdullina is a raw talent in need of some direction

Abdullina is currently something of a versatile talent. The Lokomotiv Moscow player can operate in defence or midfield and prefers playing her football on the left, either in a left-back or left-wing role. It feels like Abdullina is far from the finished product, she needs some direction and careful coaching to help her find her true position. If there is truth in the speculation linking Abdullina with Chelsea, she could be an ideal player for Blues boss Hayes to coach given her recent successes in helping the likes of Niamh Charles and Jess Carter discover their strongest positions.

The defender has nailed down her position in the Russian national team

Abdullina is a regular in the Russian senior team. She has featured in every minute of FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 qualifying so far, helping her country to second place in their group. Despite being four months away from her 21st birthday, Abdullina already has 23 senior international caps to her name with 21 of those outings coming in competitive matches. The youngster has a big future in the national team.

Strong defensive qualities but equally as impressive on the attack

While Abdullina most frequently operates at left-back, she likes to get forward, create chances for her teammates and score goals. The player has netted five goals in 23 league outings for Russian champions Lokomotiv Moscow in 2021 while she also has three goals in 23 games for her country. Abdullina has qualities at both ends of the pitch and it will be fascinating to see where the player’s career could go in future years.

Could we see Abdullina in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League in the not-so-distant future? That’s anyone’s guess, however, talents are beginning to be produced in the Russian game and it might only be a matter of time before a player from that country gets the opportunity to test themselves in England.