Sam Kerr left Chelsea fans fearing the worst after releasing a fake exit announcement just before she made it clear she is staying at the club.
Kerr, 30, signed a two-year contract extension with the Blues on Thursday, a major boost for the Matildas captain, who has struggled with injuries and a lawsuit this season.
There were doubts about her future in west London with her previous contract set to expire this summer, and Kerr responded with a duplicitous announcement inspired by Jurgen Klopp’s exit interview at Liverpool earlier this year.
“What will stay with me most are the memories I share with the fans and my teammates,” she said in the video that thrilled fans.
But just 20 minutes later, Chelsea confirmed the video was a hoax and Kerr wasn’t going anywhere.
Ny Breaking Australia understands the idea for the big announcement twist was Kerr’s.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have temporarily renamed Stamford Bridge and the Kingsmeadow training ground ‘Samford Bridge’ and ‘Kerrsmeadow’ respectively to celebrate the news.
Unsurprisingly, Blues fans were devastated by the initial announcement, taking to Twitter – now known as X – to express their disbelief.
More to follow.