Alexia Putellas has declared her intention to conclude a 14-year tenure with Barcelona when her contract expires at the end of the season.
Putellas, 32, confirmed on Tuesday that the upcoming Liga F match against Real Sociedad will mark her final appearance for the club.
While she has not disclosed her next destination, sources indicate that she has attracted interest from clubs in Europe, the United States, and Mexico. The London City Lionesses and Paris Saint-Germain have been closely monitoring her situation.
Her contract included an option for an additional one-year extension, with the club open to her continuing, but she has chosen to seek new adventures elsewhere.
“The moment has come to recognize that I’ve given everything for these colors,” Putellas stated in a video shared on her social media. “It has been an extraordinary journey.”
Several other players are also anticipated to depart Barcelona this summer. ESPN previously reported that defenders Mapi León and Ona Batlle will be joining the London City and Arsenal, respectively, once their contracts expire next month.
Veteran player Marta Torrejón is also expected to move on as her contract concludes, while wingers Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo will need to negotiate new contracts if they want to remain with the club.
Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or recipient, departs on a glorious note after aiding her team in clinching their fourth Champions League title with a decisive 4-0 victory against OL Lyonnes last weekend.
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She was later honored as the Champions League Player of the Season for the second time.
The Champions League victory completed a second quadruple for Barcelona in three years, as they had also claimed the Liga F, Copa de la Reina, and Spanish Supercopa earlier in the season. Putellas had an outstanding campaign with 21 goals and 13 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.
After spending a year in Barcelona’s youth academy, she returned to the club in 2012 following stints at Espanyol and Levante.
Throughout her time at Barça, she has played a pivotal role in the team’s dominance in European football, contributing to 38 trophies, including 10 Liga F titles and four Champions League victories.
With a tally of 232 goals, she stands as the all-time leading scorer in the women’s team’s history and is the second highest scorer across both the men’s and women’s teams, trailing only Lionel Messi (672).
Her exceptional performances earned her the Ballon d’Or award in 2021 and 2022, during which she was also recognized as The Best FIFA Women’s Player, and she celebrated a World Cup victory with Spain in 2023.
“We’ve elevated the women’s team beyond what we ever envisioned,” Putellas reflected. “In the beginning, being a soccer player wasn’t recognized as a genuine profession. I now feel grateful to have contributed to this transformation.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.