N’Sira Safi, a forward from the Right to Dream Academy, has been in talks to join Chelsea.
The Ivory Coast called up the 17-year-old for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but it was abruptly canceled last month.
In the summer of 2025, Safi tried out for Chelsea and won over manager Sonia Bompastor.
Right to Dream, a multi-club organization with a proven track record of nurturing African talent, has the option to place Safi at one of its associated clubs after she turns eighteen, but no deal has yet been made.
San Diego FC in the US and Nordsjaelland in Denmark are part of the group.
Chelsea and Strasbourg’s parent company, BlueCo, has a vast scouting network in Africa that has helped identify players for its men’s clubs in France and England.
Additionally, they have brought on Phil Radley, a women’s sporting director with ten years of Nordsjaelland expertise.
Recruiting young Africans into women’s football in England is typically more challenging due to the Football Association’s complicated governing body endorsement criteria surrounding signing non-British players.
Recruitment from the continent is dominated by clubs in the United States since they are subject to fewer regulations.
According to the same regulations, Safi might need to make an initial loan move to Chelsea in order to support her growth while she accumulates the international caps required to obtain a full work permit for the current Women’s Super League winners.
The summer transfer window for 2026 will begin on June 15 and end on August 31.
