After being sold to Everton Ladies in 2018 it would have been easy to assume Chloe Kelly may not have been the striker people had hoped she could become.

However, fast forward to 2020 and she is leading the line for Everton despite being just 22-years old and has earned a place in Phil Neville's squad for the Shebelieves Cup.

Having scored nine goals in the WSL this season making her the fourth top scorer Kelly full deserves her place in the Lionesses squad.

Smart striker

Kelly is an intelligent striker in her movement, thinking of the game and being one step ahead of the defenders all game.

Some of her more impressive goals have been capitalising on mistakes from defenders from when she has put pressure on them or forced them into a mistake just by being in and around them.

For example, her goal against Tottenham Hotspur came from a mix up at the back as Spurs failed to clear as Kelly instigated the press for the Toffees.

After they won the ball back Kelly managed to remove herself from that area of chaos to find space near the edge of the area and fire a shot hard and low into the bottom corner.

She is a different striker to Beth England and Ellen White as the former is more of a runner and will work all over the pitch for the team and White is an instinct finisher, a 'fox in the box'.

Competition can only improve her

This season has been fantastic for strikers battling it out to prove who is the best in the WSL.

Vivianne Miedema has bagged 14 goals averaging one every 81 minutes, England has 13 goals and Pauline Bremer has managed 10 goals averaging out at one every 56 minutes.

This makes Kelly's one every 108 minutes seem poor, however, that is just over one a game which is an outstanding achievement.

The three players above her in the top scorer's table are all playing for the top three sides in the country Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.

So, for Kelly to be mixing it with the very best highlights why she is possibly England's most promising forward player for years to come.

If she was being provided with balls from Jordan Nobbs, Danielle van de Donk, Jill Scott or Sam Kerr it would be likely she would be up there with Miedema as the top striker in the league.

Kelly's time will come to lead the line for the Lionesses and it may come against America depending on formations and injuries.

However, you can still expect to see the Everton forward in many Lionesses squads to come as she develops from a diamond in the rough to the player many thought she would be at Arsenal.

Kelly sent a warning to the WSL saying: "But the hard work starts now."

If the former Arsenal striker has not been working hard yet then Everton have a striker to build a strong team around and push the top three in the coming seasons.