Former Wales captain Sophie Ingle will leave Chelsea at the end of the season.

The Llandough-born midfielder has won five Women's Super League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and the Community Shield since rejoining the Blues in 2018.

She's scored twelve goals from 214 club appearances, including the Champions League final in 2021, which Chelsea lost to Barcelona.

But Ingle has been absent this season, recovering from an long-term ACL injury she picked up in pre-season while playing against Dutch club Feyenoord last September.

In that time, she's been targeting a return to Rhian Wilkinson's Wales squad ahead of their historic debut in the Women's Euros in Switzerland in July.

Ingle will depart Stamford Bridge when her current two-year contract expires this summer.

Ingle initially joined Chelsea from Cardiff City in 2012, moving to Bristol Academy two years later followed by a three-year stint at Liverpool, until she was enticed back to Stamford Bridge by then-manager Emma Hayes.

"When I first came back in 2018, there were probably about ten staff members, and some of those were part-time," she told the club's website."Now it is very different, and that's changed in just six or seven years."

'It's one of those where you almost need to be successful to force quicker changes, to get bigger budgets, to get better facilities, and then bigger players are attracted to the club."

"Football is football, and we always want to advocate that anyone can support us. It doesn't matter your age, gender, anything like that, we accept everyone, and they accept us."

Apart from a haul of eleven trophies during Ingle's second spell at the club, she was also personally recognised in 2013 with an OBE for her services to football.

But of all the club honours, Ingle says her three victories in the Women's FA Cup stands out from the rest.

She said: "Everyone wants to play in the FA Cup final at Wembley in front of a sold-out crowd. I'm lucky enough to have done it three times. The first one is always so special with your friends and family in the crowd – and yes, beating Arsenal was the icing on the cake."

"I've won 11 trophies in the last six years, which is a good number. It's always been about being consistent and giving everything every day, always trying to improve your weaknesses, and always trying to help support your team-mates."

"Obviously, you look at trophies because that is success, but it's about making friends off the pitch too. I think that's hugely important because your teammates become your family."

Ingle became a WSL record breaker in November 2023, when she overtook Kerrys Harrop for the most league appearances with her 184th game - fittingly enough, against her former club Liverpool.

"It was a nice reward for all the years I'd given to football", she said. "Whatever club I've been at, I feel like I've given 100 per cent and always tried to stay fit and healthy. It was a really proud moment to reach that."

"You have to prepare in the right way and look after yourself, both on and off the pitch. Whether that's eating the right way or getting enough sleep. But it's also about taking time away from the game because it can be so intense and football is a brutal world – one minute you're playing, one minute you're not."

"You have to try and stay confident within yourself. I think I've been quite level-headed the whole way through my career. I don't get too high on the highs and too low on the lows."

Ingle admitted to the Chelsea FC website that her absence this season - their first under new manager Sonia Bompastor - was tough to take.

"It's been tough because you're used to playing and training every day and that gets taken away from you, but I try to see the positives in things."

'When it first happened, the club wanted me to come to terms with it. We then had some talks after a few months, and they said they would support me throughout my journey and try to get me back as fit as they could."

'It put my mind at ease as I knew I would have care up until the very last minute when I was ready to be back playing. And then when I'm fit enough to join a new team, they will support me with that, too. So I am grateful."

Ingle added her aim to reach Wales' first ever appearance at a major women's football tournament would be "a tough ask" but an "amazing achievement" if she makes it.

But addressing her Chelsea teammates - and their fans - she said: "I hope I gave that back to them by always playing for the badge, playing for the girls, for the team, for the club. I'm so thankful they've supported me and the girls on this amazing journey."

"The club can go to even bigger heights and win that big trophy. It's what the club deserves: to win the Champions League."

Wales conclude their preparations for the Women's Euros with their final two games in the Women's Nations League in a few weeks time - taking on Denmark in Odense on Friday 30th May and Italy in Swansea on Tuesday 3rd June.