The forward spent a total of eight years at Chelsea, where she scored 68 goals in 158 appearances. She remains our all-time top scorer, three goals ahead of Fran Kirby.

In announcing the news this morning Aluko, who was most recently at Juventus in Italy, said:

‘Thank you football for everything you’ve given and taught me. Thanks for the full circle moments and the crazy unexpected journey. When we met I was just a girl from a council estate in Birmingham. I could never have imagined the crazy, unbelievable journey you would take me on.

‘You have given me the dream of playing in the US, the pride of representing England, the thrill of winning titles with Chelsea, the adventure of playing for Juventus in Italy.

‘Whenever I have faced obstacles, you have shattered them. Whenever I have had great expectations, you have exceeded them.’