As head of Lyon's academy, Bompastor kept a close eye on Malard's football and her schooling. Malard came through the ranks and broke into Lyon's first team as a 17-year-old in 2017.
Convincing Malard's mother to let her move nearly 6,000 miles from home was not straightforward. Bompastor said she had a plan for the phone call."The main thing for her mum in that phone call was she knew she could trust me as a manager but also as a woman.".
Malard's output has moved the other way. Her expected goals per 90 minutes have more than doubled, from 0.5 to 1.1, and her shot conversion rate has risen from 10.5% to 22.2%.
Those figures, as set out by the BBC, suggest she is getting more of the ball in dangerous areas and making better use of the chances that come her way.
Bompastor said the gain is about more than goals."She can play in different positions so we know we can use her as a nine or as a winger.".
That range has made Malard a valuable option as Chelsea chase silverware at home and abroad. She is likely to lead the line, though Bompastor's ambitions for her former academy prospect are not limited to club level.
"Having known her for so long and all the hard work she has put in, I'm really proud of her,"Bompastor said. She told BBC Sport:"I knew she had the potential to be a really good player.".
The attention did not stop at training."When I did bad in school, she called me,"Malard said.