Kenny Thompson has backed daughter Kenni to showcase her true ability at new club Civitas Santa Teresa Badajoz, of the Spanish women’s first division.

The 20-year-old arrives at the club — based in Extremadura, in the west of the country — having left divisional rivals Deportivo La Coruña at the end of last year after enduring a difficult period because of injury and a lack of playing time.

However, having seized the chance of a fresh start, Thompson believes Kenni has the ideal opportunity to feature regularly again and ultimately continue her professional development in a top league.

“The previous few months have proved challenging,” he said. “At the start of the season, she wasn’t playing very much due to injuries. It then became difficult to make a good impression and break into the team because others had done well up to that point.

“The most important thing for Kenni is to be playing and so she took this opportunity. The idea is that she will get the chance to play a lot more regularly and be able to really showcase her ability in a top league.

“She loves the league out there and this move gave her the opportunity to stay in the top division, where she aspires to be.

“It is a very good league and is progressing rapidly. There are some big teams such as Barcelona, who are on another level, and Real Madrid, who have been able to put together a top team. Outside of those, it’s a very competitive league with tough matches every week.

“She’s at a club where she can develop further because she still needs to. She’s still relatively young and the move should allow her to keep growing as a player.”

Despite, moving midway through the season, the versatile forward, who was part of the Chelsea Ladies programme in the United Kingdom as a 15-year-old, should be able to settle quickly at her new club having spent the majority of her time playing abroad in Spain with UE Cornellá, Barcelona, Sant Gabriel and Espanyol among her previous clubs.

“It was an easy transition,” her father added. “She loves the football and culture in the country and is also fluent in Spanish; it was a great opportunity and good fit.

“She knows the country having been in Spain for a while now; most of her time playing abroad has been in the country so she is comfortable there.

“The football culture in Spain is also a really good fit for Kenni’s style of play.”

While her immediate focus will be helping Santa Teresa climb out of the relegation zone, with the club sixteenth, two places above bottom club and former side Deportivo, Thompson admitted his daughter’s professional journey could take another turn, having already trodden a varied path in her early career.

“Kenni has the aspiration to play football at the very highest level possible,” he added. “She’s been in a professional environment since she was 11 and so she has a good understanding of the journey in football and where it can take you.

“Sometimes you go places you didn’t foresee and opportunities can arise at any time. She’s always been open to consider anything and has already seen a lot, matured and become very independent as a result.

“She’s always been open to playing wherever an opportunity arises and she’s certainly prepared for anything.”