The Blues’ newest signing Guro Reiten gives us insight into her football life, including the recent World Cup, her current achievements and team-mates at club and country level Maren Mjelde and Maria Thorisdottir. Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes also lifts the lid on the Norwegian’s potential.
Reiten agreed to join Chelsea from Norwegian club LSK Kvinner before the World Cup and signed a three-year contract. Following France 2019, the 24-year-old recently met up with her Chelsea team-mates at Cobham.
The left-footed attacking player featured in all five of Norway’s World Cup matches. She scored twice and was elected as Player of the Match in their opening fixture against Nigeria.
Her country came second in Group A behind tournament hosts France and progressed to the quarter-finals where they exited against England with a 3-0 defeat.
‘I think we [Norway] played great games at the beginning, but what is most disappointing is the one against England,’ Reiten told the official Chelsea website.
‘The way we performed, we didn’t reach our highest level, and that is annoying because it’s four years until we get the next chance to play a game like that.’
Coming up against the Lionesses enabled Reiten to gain an idea on what to expect from this season, as the majority of England's squad play their domestic football in the Women’s Super League.
‘I have seen the level of English players, I have heard a lot about the league here. In Norway we have a few good teams, but here everyone is good and you have to be on top form otherwise you are going to lose.
‘I think the Chelsea players had a great World Cup.’
Reiten is already international team-mates with Maren Mjelde and Maria Thorisdottir and is looking forward to being team-mates at club level too.
‘I know them well, I have played for the national team for three years, and we have spent a lot of time together both on and off the field. I know both of them, and they are both funny and weird. They are great football players, and I’m looking forward to playing with them every day.
‘I asked Maren a few questions before I signed, but they were not the main reason of course, but I feel like now I’ve signed I’m really thankful they are here. They have helped me a lot.’
Reiten finished as the top goal scorer in the Toppserien – Norway’s equivalent to the WSL – for the past three seasons and is also the league’s Player of the Year. However, she claims that those are not her biggest successes.
‘I think winning the league; you have to be good in every game to win the league, so that’s my biggest achievement I think.
‘The game we played against the Netherlands in the World Cup qualification – we had to beat them to play in the World Cup so that’s one of my biggest achievements too,’ she reckons.
Emma Hayes adds her comments on Reiten’s football ability and potential:
‘I think Guro showed throughout the World Cup her qualities and her talent levels and why Chelsea have been interested in her. Coming to Chelsea will take her game to the next level because being at LSK in the Norwegian league is developed her so far.
‘Playing with this team in training every day and games against top opposition will push her towards to her ambitions. I think she’s got the right character, the right drive and it’s the right time for her in her career and it’s the perfect fit in both directions.
‘She’s a natural left-footer with the ability to calve open a defence with a single pass. She’s got goals in her, her set-piece delivery is outstanding and her football intelligence really sets her apart.
‘Hopefully we develop her physically and progress her to another level so she can do all of those things at an even better level.’
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