• Signing in time for Champions League knockout stage
• Walsh deal follows world record fee for Naomi Girma

Chelsea are expected to confirm the signing of the England midfielder Keira Walsh from the European champions Barcelona on Friday, for a fee understood to be in the region of €550,000 (£440,000).

In one of the highest-profile deadline-day transfers in Women’s Super League history, Walsh completed a medical at Chelsea on Thursday and parties are very confident that the deal was completed in time for the 23:00 GMT deadline, as fans await official confirmation.

In the space of a dramatic 24 hours, the two clubs agreed on the fee overnight on Wednesday night before Walsh flew to London on Thursday, and the move is understood to have progressed without any late hitches.

• Midfielder set to have medical in London on Thursday
• Chloe Kelly hits out at lack of future at Manchester City

Barcelona have accepted a bid from Chelsea for Keira Walsh and the England midfielder is expected to undergo a medical in London on Thursday. The transfer fee is understood to be in the region of €550,000 (£460,000), which would make the deal the fourth most expensive in the history of women’s football.

The two clubs reached an agreement overnight, inside the final 24 hours of the window, which closes at 11pm on Thursday and Barcelona gave Walsh permission to travel to London.

The 27-year-old would be eligible to be registered for Chelsea’s Champions League squad for the knockout stages and therefore could theoretically be set for a reunion against her former side if they were to meet in the competition this season. Walsh has helped Barcelona win back-to-back Champions League titles in the past two seasons.

The midfielder’s contract is due to expire in the summer. Arsenal targeted Walsh last summer and she was ­reportedly the subject of a bid from the club, who have been heavily linked with her for several months.

Chelsea’s move for Walsh comes just days after they broke the world record with a fee of $1.1m (£890,000) to sign the United States defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave.

Walsh’s latest transfer fee would mean that two of the top five most expensive transfers in women’s football would involve the former Manchester City midfielder as she moved to Barcelona from City for around £400,000 in 2022.

• Gunners understood to pay $100,000 for left-back
• Nighswonger won NWSL with Gotham in 2023

Arsenal are poised to sign the USA defender Jenna Nighswonger before the Women’s Super League transfer window closes on Thursday.

The 24-year-old left-back is poised to move from the NWSL club NJ/NY Gotham FC for a fee understood to be $100,000 (£80,360). She has one season left on her contract.

Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Tom Garry and Tim Stillman to break down Chelsea’s win over Arsenal, Manchester City’s six-goal thriller, and the WSL title race

On the podcast today: Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the WSL with a hard-fought win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge thanks to Guro Reiten’s late penalty. Is the title race already over?

The panel also discusses Manchester City’s much-needed 4-2 victory over Aston Villa and Tottenham’s dramatic stoppage-time winner against Crystal Palace, which left their opponents in deeper relegation trouble.