Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Putellas joins London City

By Adegboyega Adeleye

Women’s Super League club London City Lionesses have completed the landmark signing of two-time Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Alexia Putellas, in what is being widely described as one of the biggest and most historic transfers in WSL history.

The Spain international signed a three-year contract after leaving FC Barcelona Femení, ending a glittering 14-year spell during which she won 38 major trophies, including 10 league titles and four UEFA Women’s Champions League crowns.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in women’s football, the 32-year-old joins London City on a free transfer after attracting interest from several leading clubs across Europe and the United States.

“I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter with London City Lionesses,” Putellas said.

“The club’s ambition and its steadfast commitment to growing as a women-only independent club resonate deeply with me. I look forward to making an impact on the pitch as we challenge for titles.”

Club owner Michele Kang described the signing as a defining moment for the ambitious WSL side.

“Alexia Putellas embodies the pinnacle of talent, dedication and vision in women’s football,” Kang said. “Her decision to join our independent, women-first club is a powerful endorsement of what we are building. This is more than a signing. It is a bold statement about the future of the sport.”

Putellas leaves Barcelona as the club’s second-highest appearance maker, having scored a record 232 goals in 507 matches. She captained the Spanish giants to another UEFA Women’s Champions League title in her final season and won back-to-back Ballon d’Or awards in 2021 and 2022.

The Spain women’s national football team star, who lifted the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, is also among the favourites to claim a third Ballon d’Or later this year.

Her arrival represents another major statement of intent from London City, who secured Mary Earps earlier this summer and are rapidly establishing themselves as one of the WSL’s most ambitious clubs under Kang’s ownership.