The Australian duo were last in action for the Blues on February 22, when they featured in our 2-1 extra-time win over Manchester United in the Women’s FA Cup fifth round.

It was then time for the pair to return to their home country for the Women's Asian Cup, where they reached the final and, at the same time, secured their spot at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Kerr finished joint-third in the competition’s Golden Boot race with four goals from six matches, while Carpenter also made some key contributions to the team’s success, as she also started all six matches for the Matildas.

Now back in London, thoughts return to their domestic duties, and Bompastor thinks they will prove to be key additions for the conclusion of the 2025/26 campaign, as we first face Aston Villa in the WSL at Kingmeadow.

‘We still have a training session tomorrow, but Sam and Ellie are likely to be in the game on Sunday,’ explained the head coach. ‘It's a big boost for us having these two players back.

‘I think it’s about the quality they can bring to the squad, but also the experience they have going into these important games.’

It’s not only their technical ability which has been missed at Chelsea, but also the elements their individual personalities bring to the squad. With some key battles still to be won, Bompastor feels the whole group will benefit from having them back at Cobham.

‘It’s a really big boost in terms of confidence,’ she said. ‘They are great players, but they also bring a lot of good, positive vibes and energy into the team. So, I think going into the business end of the season, it will be really important to have them back.’

After Villa, the Blues have the second leg of our Women’s Champions League quarter final with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening.

Chelsea will need a repeat of last season’s comeback against Manchester City if we are to progress, as we look to overturn a 3-1 defeat from Tuesday's clash at the Emirates Stadium.

With the quick turnaround between crucial games against Aston Villa, followed by the midweek match against Arsenal, Bompastor was asked he she planned to rotate her team at the weekend.

She replied: ‘I think it's quite important for me to try to prepare for the next two games. The best way to do that is probably to focus first on the Aston Villa game, because it is a really important game that we need to win.

‘For that reason, I think if we can have a strong start, get points, score goals, that's the best way we can rotate the squad.’