Tearful Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson said it felt “surreal” as she confirmed her departure from the Women’s Super League leaders on Thursday.
Both Eriksson and her partner Pernille Harder are on their way out of the west London club, with the pair linked with a move to German giants Bayern Munich when their contracts expire.
Eriksson, 29, has made 149 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Swedish side Linkopings and has helped the Blues win 11 major trophies.
She will now aim to add the fifth WSL title of her Chelsea career, with the club having already won this season’s Women’s FA Cup last weekend.
Denmark international Harder is bidding for her third WSL title in as many seasons following her arrival at Chelsea from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.
Chelsea lead Manchester United — who they beat 1-0 in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley — by two points with two games to play, away to Arsenal and at home to Reading.
“It’s really difficult even to talk about and say out loud,” Eriksson said as she wiped away tears in a video posted on Chelsea’s Twitter feed.
“It feels kind of surreal. The news that I have for the fans and for the world is that I will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.
“It’s been an unbelievable time, the best time of my life. It’s been six unbelievable years.”
Chelsea’s hopes of achieving an unprecedented treble ended with a defeat by Barcelona in last month’s Champions League semi-final in April.
But Emma Hayes’s side still remain on course for a fourth domestic double in six seasons.
“It’s been such an amazing journey so I feel I’m not only sad, even though it might look like it,” said Eriksson.
“I’m also really, really happy and just proud of the whole journey and everything we’ve been through together. It’s mixed emotions for sure.”
