When Chelsea signed Wieke Kaptein in the 2023 summer transfer window, it didn’t feel like a rushed signing. It felt planned and that’s because the midfielder from Hengelo had already built up a serious reputation in the Netherlands. She made her senior debut for FC Twente at 15 and had played Champions League football by that stage in her career. By 18 she had made over 60 appearances, won league titles, scored in domestic finals and picked up the Women’s Eredivisie Talent of the Year award. Chelsea signed her on a four year deal but sent her straight back to Twente on loan for the 2023/24 season. Some clubs rush young players but Chelsea didn’t, they let her play and that was the year that really mattered.
GROWING INTO RESPONSIBILITY
In her final season in the Netherlands, Kaptein played almost every minute for Twente who went on to win the league again. She scored four goals, had six assists and had constant involvement. She was not treated like a teen in the squad. She was a trusted and valued player.
So when she arrived in England for the 2024/25 season she did not look nervous or out of place. She looked ready. She made her debut coming off the bench away at Crystal Palace and then started at home against Real Madrid. Soon after that she scored her first Chelsea goal in a 5-0 win at Everton and then a few weeks later she headed in a Guro Reiten cross in the Champions League against Celtic.
The moment that really showed what she is about came in December 2024. Her late strike away at Leicester secured a draw for the Blues and kept Chelsea unbeaten in the league. At the time it felt important and by the end of the season it was clear how important it really was. Chelsea went on to complete an unbeaten domestic treble. That goal was not just about technique and class It was about stepping up when it mattered.
INFLUENCE WITHOUT THE SPOTLIGHT
In her first season with Chelsea she made 33 appearances, 17 starts, scored four goals and got four assists. She came on in the League Cup final win, started the Champions League comeback against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, played 90 minutes when Chelsea won the WSL title at Manchester United and started the FA Cup final too. That is serious trust for a teenager.
This season her role has grown again. In the league so far she’s made 15 appearances, played 829 minutes, scored 2 goals, made 3 assists and has had an 82% pass completion. Across all competitions for Chelsea, she now has 56 appearances and 10 goals. For someone who only turned 20 in August, that is impressive.
WHY SHE FITS
When Chelsea build from the back she finds space between the opposition lines. She checks her shoulders before she gets the ball so she already knows her next move. That is why Chelsea can play through pressure instead of just going around it.
Her pass completion shows she is reliable. Her duel numbers show she competes. But she does it without losing her position and she connects defence to midfield and midfield to attack. She lets the more attacking players take risks because she provides the balance behind.
INTERNATIONAL SET UP
Her rise has not just been at club level. In 2023 she became the youngest Dutch player ever called up to a Women’s World Cup squad. She made her tournament debut against Vietnam, and made her senior debut earlier that year against Poland and scored her first international goal in November 2024 against China. At Euro 2025 she played in all three group games, starting in two.
She was also nominated for the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony for the best young player under 21 and finished third in the vote. You do not get that recognition unless you are doing something right.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea saw something in Kaptein early. They secured her and they trusted the pathway. Two seasons in, she does not look like a prospect anymore, she looks like part of the core midfield. She was signed for the future. But she is already part of the present.
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