Alexia Putellas leaving Barca as London City Lionesses in pursuit

Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas has announced she is leaving Barcelona after 14 years, with London City Lionesses in pursuit.

The 32-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest female footballers of all time, captained Barcelona to the Champions League title on Saturday.

It was her fourth European crown with the club, winning 38 trophies in total, including 10 league titles.

The midfielder scored a club record 232 goals in 507 appearances, and is second on the all-time appearance list – just nine behind Melanie Serrano on 516.

Sources close to London City Lionesses, who finished sixth in their debut season in the Women’s Super League, say there is confidence they can strike a deal to bring Putellas to the club this summer. They have been in discussions with her for several months.

Putellas won the World Cup with Spain in 2023 and was part of the squad that finished runners-up to England at Euro 2025.

She was ruled out of Euro 2022 on the eve of the tournament with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and returned at the end of the following season.

Since her return to full fitness, Putellas has shown the types of performances that earned her back-to-back Ballon d’Or accolades in 2021 and 2022.

She leaves Barcelona as a legend of the club and it marks the end of a significant era for Pere Romeu’s side.

“I said I wanted the final moment to come when I was at my best, giving everything and with 100 percent energy,” Putellas said on Instagram.

“That’s it, now it’s time. It has been a perfect story…

“[At six years old] I only saw men playing in the stadium and it would never have occurred to me that one day, in that very same place, more than 90,000 cules [Barcelona fans] would be shouting my name.

“We have taken the women’s team further than we ever could have imagined.”