Who is Pernille Harder? Chelsea FC Women footballer’s career, salary, transfer fee - and Emma Hayes verdict

Chelsea travelled to Turin, Italy, to take on Joe Montemurro’s side and came away with three points taking them up to second in Group A.

Erin Cuthbert was the first to score for Chelsea as she netted the ball after a beautiful run down the pitch in the 31st minute. This was soon to be cancelled out by an equaliser six minutes later by Barbara Bonasea.

With the scores equal at half time, Chelsea and Danish sensation Pernille Harder gave the London team the three points after quickly reacting in a crowded area to turn in the winning goal.

Blue manager Emma Hayes said: “She [Harder] had an outstanding performance. I’ve said this before - she came to the club and to a difficult country, joining a team that’s already amazing and she has taken us to an even higher level.”

“Her standards day in, day out should be what every young person should look up to. She takes responsibility, she’s accountable, she’s there when it matters and she’s a key player for this team. I’m so delighted she’s part of our squad.”

Here is all you need to know about the world’s most expensive female player.

Who has Pernille Harder played for before Chelsea?

Harder began her professional senior career in 2007 when she signed for Team Virborg before moving to IK Skovbakken in 2010.

Skovbaken made her a contracted player in April 2010 in recognition of their talent and potential.

Moving away from her native Denmark, Harder signed for Swedish club Linköpings FC. In 2013 she scored all four goals in the team’s 4-1 win over Sunnana SK.

In the 2015 Swedish women’s league, Damallsvenskan, HArder scored 17 goals in 22 appearances for her club winning her a series of national awards including Forward of the Year and League Player of the Year

Harder was voted Danish Football Player of the Year in 2015.

The 2016 Damallsvenskan season saw Harder win the League Player of the Year award as well as being that season’s top scorer with 23 league goals.

Her success in the 2016 season led to Linkoping winning the Damallsvenskan title and Harder was now a huge transfer target for the biggest clubs in Women’s football.

Has Pernille Harder played in Germany?

In December 2016 the striker announced that she would be moving to VfL Wolfsburg on a two-and-a-half-year contract which would start in January 2017.

Harder won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in all four seasons she was with VfL Wolfsburg.

The attacking-midfielder also played in two Champions League finals, 2018 and 2020.

In 2018 and 2020, Harder won the UEFA Women’s player of the year.

When did Pernille Harder move to Chelsea?

Harder signed for the London club in September 2020 on a three-year contract. In this year’s Champions League, she has scored in both legs against her former club VfL Wolfsburg.

Harder, 28, has also scored 12 times in 27 appearances for the English side.

What was Pernille Harder’s transfer fee?

The Danish player’s transfer to Chelsea was a world-record fee for a female footballer and was reportedly in excess of £250,000.

It has also been reported that Harder earns £211,990.00 annually from her work at Chelsea as well as her international appearances for Denmark.

The last time such a sum was used in a female transfer was almost 20 years before Harder’s move to Chelsea. Milene Domingues signed for Atletico Madrid for £200,000. Domigues’s signing remains the Spanish women’s transfer record.

Is Pernille Harder an advocate for LGTBQ+ rights?

In 2014, Harder started dating fellow Danish player Magdalena Eriksson and are still together seven years later. The pair have been praised for being open about their relationship in a sport where sexuality continues to be a taboo subject and their roles as LGBTQ+ icons are something they are proud to embrace.

Speaking to Forbes in an interview in 2020, Harder said “It’s not like we have to talk about it when people ask us, but we choose ourselves to do it.

“It has been important for us not to hide something and just to be ourselves. To show people that is how it should be. That’s how we want the world to be. We want people to be themselves and that’s how we want to be as well.”

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