It takes a great deal of self-assurance for a young player to leave behind all they have known and move to a new country. Yet that is the decision Mara Alber took this summer to complete a transfer to Chelsea.
After making her Bundesliga debut at just 16 years old, Alber earned a place as a first-team regular at Hoffenheim during the 2023/24 campaign. She made 23 appearances, scored six goals, and established her reputation as one of the brightest young talents in German football.
Injury hampered her progress somewhat last season, but that didn't stop the Blues from bringing the 20-year-old, who has represented her country at all international youth levels, to England.
It was a big step for Alber, but one she has not regretted. At Chelsea, she has found what she believes is needed to progress and thrive.
'Everything at Chelsea is really professional,' she explains. 'I have everything I need, the team is top quality, and I really enjoy the training. Everything is planned and individual for you.
'The facilities are great – I’ve never seen anything better. When you come in, everything is there ready for you, and we’ve got the gym and all the pitches too.'
While at Cobham, as is the case for her Chelsea team-mates, Alber has what she needs to take her game to new heights. Yet there is more to a player's life – and their development – than what happens at our training base.
Importantly, Alber has settled well into life outside of her native Germany. She is working on improving her English and has found a place she can call home.
'It's been really good,' Alber continues. 'I have my apartment and I like it here, I like the surroundings. It feels good.'
The midfielder was part of the first-team group that flew out to the Netherlands for a six-day pre-season training camp ahead of our WSL campaign.
On the final day of that trip, a friendly match against Ajax was arranged; Alber was named in the starting XI by head coach Sonia Bompastor.
She had over an hour's runout in the 1-1 draw before being replaced by Guro Reiten in the second half. It was the first time she got to showcase her talents in front of the Blues faithful.
'It was really cool to play my first minutes in a Chelsea kit,' she says. 'It was a proud moment for me. I enjoy playing with the girls, and it's a lot of fun to play with such high-quality players.
'I think Sonia is a really good coach. She gives a lot of feedback and wants to make the players better and wants us to perform well as a team.'