Sources: London City…

The London City Lionesses are currently at the forefront in the competition to sign Alexia Putellas, as the midfielder evaluates three offers following her decision to depart from Barcelona, according to various sources available to ESPN.

A representative from London City indicated that discussions are continuing with the two-time Ballon d’Or winner, though no agreement has been finalized at this stage.

Insiders have disclosed that Putellas is also exploring two additional options, one from an NWSL club and another from a team based in Mexico. However, the identities of these clubs remain undisclosed.

These same insiders mentioned that Putellas is receptive to considering further offers that may come in, emphasizing that she is in no hurry to make a decision about her future following the conclusion of her 14-year tenure with Barça.

Putellas, 32, is currently away on international duty with Spain. She netted two goals in a recent 4-0 triumph against England and is aiming to assist La Roja in securing their spot for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil with a victory against Iceland on Tuesday.

Following these commitments, sources have indicated she plans to take a vacation where she will assess the offers she has received before making a definitive choice on her next steps.

ESPN sources also reported that London City has already come to an agreement to acquire Barça defender Mapi León this summer as a free agent, taking advantage of the expiration of her contract with the Catalan club.

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Attracting Putellas to the club would mark a significant achievement for a team that was only promoted to the WSL just over a year ago, finishing sixth in their inaugural season at the top level.

Michele Kang, the owner of London City, has consistently sought to bolster her various teams by looking to Barcelona, having previously recruited coach Jonatan Giráldez first for Washington Spirit and subsequently for OL Lyonnes.

Former sporting director of Barça, Markel Zubizarreta, has also joined Kynisca—a group that oversees Kang’s various teams—as a global sporting director.

After securing promotion in 2025, London City had also signed players Jana Fernández and Lucía Corrales from Barça, but the acquisitions of León and Putellas could prove significantly more impactful for the growth of the team.

Putellas confirmed in late May that she would leave Barça after contributing to the club’s fourth Champions League title with a 4-0 victory over Lyon in the final held in Oslo.

She has been a pivotal figure in a dominating Barça squad that has claimed 38 trophies in the past seven years, including 10 Liga F titles and four Champions League titles.

With 232 goals to her credit, Putellas is the leading scorer in the history of the women’s team and ranks as the second-highest scorer overall, behind only Lionel Messi (672 goals).

Her impressive performances at the club level have earned her the Ballon d’Or in both 2021 and 2022, and she was also named The Best FIFA Women’s Player in those years. Additionally, she was part of the Spanish national team that won the World Cup in 2023.