Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says striker Sam Kerr is six months away from performing at her best.

Kerr is the all-time leading goal scorer in both the Australian W-League and the US National Women's Soccer League. She has scored one goal for The Blues since her first match on January 5.

Hayes was speaking at a press conference before the Continental League Cup final against Arsenal this evening.

She said: "I think six months, if I’m honest. I think it's an adjustment – you’ve got to realise she had no pre-season. Coming in and, boom, playing in a game six days later with not much behind her belt. Got the flu, had a little bit of a quad injury, then goes away, comes back.

"This is the first week we’ve had her train with the team, so I think it’s going to take time. She goes away again on international duty, so I think it’ll take the remainder of the season, if I’m honest.

"She got the flu as soon as she got here and put it this way, I don’t know how she got out of bed to play Arsenal. But she did, so that’s a credit to her, but I think Sam Kerr is at about 60 per cent."

Chelsea v Arsenal kicks off this evening at 5.30pm.