Emma Hayes to take time away from Chelsea after emergency hysterectomy

Emma Hayes has revealed she had an emergency hysterectomy last Tuesday and will need “time and patience to return to full health”. The Chelsea Women manager did not say how long she expected to be away from work.

Hayes wrote in a statement on Chelsea’s website that the operation was related to her “ongoing battle with endometriosis” – a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Hayes said her assistants Denise Reddy and Paul Green would take charge of the team in her absence. Chelsea’s next game is at Everton on Sunday and they begin their Champions League campaign at Paris Saint-Germain the following Thursday.

Referring to the players, Hayes wrote: “We have no doubt they’ll do everything to maintain their high standards. To our fans, you’ve had to listen to me bellowing from the other side of the pitch every week but now I want to hear you even louder because I’ll be sitting at home watching the team on the television until my return.

“I know you’ll respect that my health comes first and at this time I’ve got to prioritise what I need to do for me. I fully expect to make a full recovery and I look forward to seeing you in the foreseeable future.”