The 19-year-old has been with our academy since the age of seven, and earlier this summer renewed her contract with the Blues for a further year.

Akpan made her first-team debut for Chelsea in March of the 2022/23 season. She came off the bench as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 victory over Reading, at the quarter-final stage of the Women’s FA Cup.

Birmingham City was the destination in 2024/25, where the teenager played 15 games on loan as the side finished second, narrowly missing out on promotion to the WSL.

The Women's Super League 2 will once again be the destination this season, as Akpan makes the move to the English south coast for a season-long loan with Southampton.

Everyone at Chelsea wishes Ashanti every success with the Saints, and we look forward to seeing her progress next season.