Chelsea stars Jess Carter and Ann-Katrin Berger announce their engagement in heartfelt social media post... just two months after Emma Hayes claimed player-to-player relationships were 'inappropriate'

Chelsea team-mates Jess Carter and Ann-Katrin Berger have confirmed their engagement via a post on social media. 

The news comes just two months after Emma Hayes, who just left the Blues to manage the United States women's national team, claimed player relationships were 'inappropriate'. 

In response, Chelsea defender Carter liked a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, including one which described Hayes' comments as ‘beyond bonkers’. 

It's clear that their former manager's statements were not enough to fracture their relationship, as they confirmed their engagement late on Sunday evening. 

In a post on X, the couple posed alongside one another for selfie, with the caption reading: '7 years down forever to go'. 

Carter, 26, and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, 33, initially met while playing for Birmingham City in 2016 before reuniting at Chelsea three years later where they established their relationship. 

The German goalkeeper has also had to overcome two bouts of thyroid cancer since the pair got together - remarkably returning to play for Chelsea just a month after announcing her cancer had returned in 2022. 

Player-player relationships are relatively common in women's football, with high-profile couples including Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead, as well as Chelsea star Sam Kerr dating West Ham star Kristie Mewis. 

Mail Sport understands there is at least one other player-to-player relationship within the Chelsea squad.

Hayes' comments came in response to questions about player-coach relationships in the women’s game after Leicester boss Willie Kirk was suspended last week over an alleged relationship with a player.

In February, Sheffield United sacked their Women's team manager Jonathan Morgan after it emerged he had a relationship with a player while at a previous club. 

'I think player-coach relationships are inappropriate, player-to-player relationships are inappropriate,' Hayes said.

'But we have to look at it in the context of where the game has come from and say we're in a professional era now where the expectations in place for players and coaches is such that all of our focus and attention has got to be on having the top standards'.

However Hayes later backtracked from the comments, said she had ‘let herself down’ and admitted that she had cleared the air with Carter.

‘Of course I’ve spoken with her [Carter],’ Hayes said.

‘This is all I’m gonna say on it. I want to be clear to everybody in the room. I don’t want to create any more clickbait headlines for you guys.

‘I think sometimes that becomes the case when we have honest conversations about things. Of course I’m disappointed about that. Of course Jess and I have had a conversation today, as I have with other players within the team.

‘They know exactly who I am and they know exactly what my intentions were. But I have to expect that I’m supposed to be the most well-trained, non-clickbait headline coach and I let myself down yesterday.

‘I didn’t think it was right for me to use the term inappropriate for the players. Nonetheless, when we have honest conversations about these things I don’t take those things back but I have zero criticism of any player in my dressing room for anything.

‘They’re professionalism, for what they’ve given to the club regardless of their status, regardless of who they’re in a relationship with. I’ve been unbelievably supportive of all of the players. I’ve been a champion for quality and equity. I think, sadly, this has become a topic that’s blown up in an unnecessary way'.