Alexia Putellas leaves Barcelona after 14 years with WSL move to London City Lionesses expected

Alexia Putellas will leave Barcelona at the end of the season after 14 years with the Catalan club, with a move to Women’s Super League side London City Lionesses widely expected in what would be the biggest transfer in WSL history.

The two-time Ballon d’Or winner, 32, made the announcement days after lifting her fourth Champions League title with Barcelona on Saturday, a victory over Lyon that capped a dominant era at the club. Putellas scored a record 232 goals for the women’s team and won 38 trophies during her time in Catalonia, placing her second on the club’s all-time appearance list. She will make her 508th and final appearance for Barcelona on Wednesday against Real Sociedad.

Putellas was spotted visiting London City Lionesses’ stadium for a league match earlier this season, fuelling speculation of a move to east London. The club is owned by Michele Kang, whose portfolio also includes Champions League runners-up Lyon and the Washington Spirit, signalling the scale of ambition behind any potential deal.

London City Lionesses finished sixth in the WSL last season — their first campaign in the top flight — and have made clear their intention to close the gap on the division’s established powers in Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United. Signing Putellas would represent a statement of intent unlike anything the league has seen before.

For Barcelona, her departure marks the end of an era in women’s football. No player has defined the club’s recent dominance more completely than Putellas, whose individual honours and collective success set a benchmark that will be difficult to match.