Putellas joins London City on three-year deal
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- London City Lionesses signed two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas on a three-year free transfer, unveiling the Spain midfielder in New York alongside owner Michele Kang.
- Putellas, 32, left Barcelona in May after 14 years, finishing with a club-record 232 goals in 507 appearances and captaining the side to a fourth Champions League title in her final season.
- Putellas chose London City over Boston Legacy, the final two clubs in contention, telling the club its ambition and commitment as a women-only independent club 'resonate deeply' with her.
- Putellas won the 2023 World Cup with Spain and was part of the side beaten by England in the Euro 2025 final; she is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the women's game.
- London City finished sixth in their debut Women's Super League campaign, having celebrated promotion from England's second tier just last summer under US billionaire owner Michele Kang.
- Putellas is believed to be London City's highest-paid player, with the club saying her arrival is expected to drive fan engagement, sponsorship and marketing growth across the WSL.
- Kang has invested in training facilities, wages, staffing and medical research, giving London City the financial firepower to compete for European spots and disrupt the WSL elite.
Why it matters: London City were in England's second tier just last summer; luring a two-time Ballon d'Or winner on a free from Barcelona, ahead of NWSL expansion side Boston Legacy, signals that owner Michele Kang's women-only independent model can outbid established giants for the sport's top talent. WSL rivals now face a club with both the ambition and the funds to chase European qualification within seasons of promotion.
