Alexia Putellas to London City Lionesses: The Transfer That Could Redefine the WSL Forever
Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas is leaving Barcelona, and London City Lionesses are frontrunners. Here's why this deal would change women's football.
A Farewell Fit for a Legend
When Barcelona laid out all 38 trophies on the pitch for Alexia Putellas' farewell ceremony, it wasn't just a goodbye — it was a statement of what one player can mean to a club. Over 14 remarkable years with the Catalan giants, the Spanish midfielder cemented her status as one of the greatest female footballers of all time.
After officially announcing her departure on Tuesday, sources close to the situation have told BBC Sport that newly promoted Women's Super League side London City Lionesses are confident they can land the 32-year-old star. While clubs from the United States are also competing for her signature, a move to London remains a serious possibility — and one that would undeniably be the most significant transfer in WSL history.
Still at the Peak of Her Powers
Despite her age and a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in July 2022, Putellas shows no signs of decline. Just last Saturday, she captained Barcelona to a commanding 4-0 victory over Lyon in Oslo, claiming her fourth UEFA Champions League title in the process.
In 2021 and 2022, she became the first woman ever to win the Ballon d'Or in back-to-back years, a feat that coincided with Barcelona's historic first continental treble. England's all-time leading scorer Ellen White, speaking on the Women's Football Weekly podcast, suggested Putellas may actually be reaching new heights.
"I think she is getting better and better," White said. "Potentially she is in her prime now, even better than when she won the Ballon d'Or."
Putellas herself echoed that sentiment in her farewell Instagram message: "I always said I wanted my final moment to come while I was at my very best. It has been a perfect story."
The tributes that flooded in following her announcement spoke volumes. Barcelona's interim president Rafael Yuste declared his deep affection for the player, while club legends Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets both shared heartfelt messages. Spanish journalist Irati Vidal perhaps framed it best.
"Alexia is more than a footballer here," Vidal explained. "She has become the image of women's football and made kids believe they can be a girl and also be a footballer."
Vidal even drew a striking comparison to another Barcelona icon, noting: "They opened the Camp Nou for Alexia. For Lionel Messi, they just had a room — and this was more emotional."
Why London City Makes Sense
London City Lionesses, owned by Michelle Kang, are a club with clear and urgent ambitions. On the eve of the 2025-26 season, chief executive Martin Semmens described the club's vision as "disruptive," insisting that success was "not a 10-year project" but something to be achieved rapidly.
After a mid-table finish in their debut WSL campaign, the club has been actively assembling a competitive squad. A Putellas signing would slot neatly into an already Spanish-speaking environment at the club. Head coach Eder Maestre leads the technical staff, while Barcelona exports Jana Fernandez, Maria Perez, and young striker Lucia Corrales have already made the switch to London.
However, challenges remain. UEFA's head of women's football Nadine Kessler recently reaffirmed that clubs under common ownership would be strictly barred from competing together in the Champions League — a regulation that could complicate Kang's broader footballing portfolio. Despite this, securing Putellas would dramatically accelerate London City's trajectory toward European competition.
The Gap — and the Opportunity
The road ahead is steep. London City finished their debut WSL season a full 22 points behind third-placed Chelsea, losing five of their six matches against the top three clubs — Arsenal, Chelsea, and champions Manchester City — by a combined scoreline of 15-4. Their average home attendance of just under 3,000, while respectable, still trails every club they would need to overtake.
Yet the symbolic power of this potential signing cannot be understated. The WSL has never had a Ballon d'Or winner grace its league. The fact that a sixth-placed side could realistically attract the world's most decorated active female player speaks volumes about the growing financial clout and global reputation of English women's football.
A Message to the World
If Putellas chooses London over the United States, it would not merely be a coup for London City — it would signal a seismic shift in the women's game. The WSL's appeal is clearly resonating beyond England's borders, drawing elite European talent at an accelerating rate.
For a player of Putellas' stature to bypass established American powerhouses in favor of a developing WSL project would confirm what many already suspect: that England's top-flight women's league is fast becoming the most exciting destination in global women's football.
