Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner and midfielder for Spain, has officially signed with London City Lionesses after her contract with Barcelona came to an end.
According to ESPN sources, Putellas had multiple offers on the table after deciding to leave Spain, including opportunities from the NWSL. Nevertheless, London City remained the frontrunner in securing her signature.
This transfer is a significant achievement for the Women’s Super League club, considering Putellas’s illustrious 14-year career at Barcelona, during which she amassed 38 trophies and played a pivotal role in Spain’s World Cup victory in 2023.
During her career at Barcelona, Putellas scored 232 goals in over 500 matches, making her the second-highest scorer in the club’s history, behind only Lionel Messi. Her achievements with Barça include 10 Liga F titles and four Women’s Champions League trophies.
Sources indicate that Putellas chose London City to remain in Europe and avoid facing Barcelona regularly in competition.
“I am excited to start this new journey with London City Lionesses,” expressed Putellas.
“The club’s ambition and dedication to developing as a women-only independent team resonate with me. I am eager to contribute on the field as we pursue titles.”
Michele Kang, the owner of London City, harbors high expectations for the club and is keen to advance her team—she also owns OL Lyonnes in France and Washington Spirit in the NWSL—into the Champions League.
Kang has a history of fortifying her teams by recruiting talents from Barça, previously hiring coach Jonatan Giráldez for Washington Spirit and later for OL Lyonnes.
At 32, Putellas concluded her time at Barcelona on a high note, celebrating a Champions League victory after a 4-0 win over OL Lyonnes.
Securing Putellas signifies a strong intent from London City, who were promoted to the WSL just over a year ago and finished sixth in their inaugural full season in the English top flight.
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Markel Zubizarreta, former sporting director at Barça, has also joined Kynisca, the organization managing Kang’s various teams, as the global sporting director.
By signing Putellas, London City aims to challenge the long-standing dominance of Chelsea and Arsenal in the WSL, although Manchester City won the league title last season.
Additionally, sources reveal that London City is poised to sign Putellas’s former Barca teammate, defender Mapi León.
Information from ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Emily Keogh contributed to this report.