Why has Alexia Putellas signed for London City Lionesses? | OneFootball

London City Lionesses have confirmed the signing of two-time Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or Féminin winner who lifted four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles with Barcelona.

Having risen through Barça’s youth academy before spending short stints at Espanyol and Levante, Putellas returned to the Catalan capital as an 18-year-old and made 508 appearances for the club, scoring 232 goals and registering 231 assists. She sits behind only Lionel Messi (672) as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.

The 32-year-old announced her departure from the club earlier this summer, attracting interest from a number of clubs in England and the United States as she sought to compete outside of Spain for the first time in her career.

She’s opted to sign for London City Lionesses, an independent club with no associated men’s team after splitting from Millwall in 2019.

They were only promoted to the English top flight a year ago, and secured a sixth-placed finish in their debut Barclays Women’s Super League campaign – 28 points adrift of champions Manchester City.

Among the clubs interested in securing Putellas’ signature was the NWSL’s Boston Legacy, who appointed Barcelona’s former Head of Management for Women’s Football, Domènec Guasch, as their General Manager ahead of their debut season.

But the midfielder has opted to sign for London City Lionesses, who recently unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art training facility and are bankrolled by billionaire Michele Kang, whose multi-club portfolio also includes NWSL side Washington Spirit and 2025/26 UEFA Women’s Champions League finalists OL Lyonnes.

It’s also worth noting that while Putellas – as one of the world’s best female footballers – will demand high wages, London City Lionesses will not pay a transfer fee for the Spaniard as her contract with Barcelona expired at the end of the 2025/26 season.

London City Lionesses have already confirmed the summer arrival of goalkeeper Mary Earps and are keen to bring Barça defender Mapi Leon to the English capital ahead of the 2026/27 season as Kang continues to build a squad brimming with world-class talent.

Putellas, according to SPORT’s Maria Tikas, is keen to avoid competing directly against Barcelona immediately and wanted to avoid signing for an ‘iconic’ club with a distinct identity that could have rivalled that of the Blaugrana. Remaining in Europe as opposed to the United States also keeps the midfielder closer to family and friends in Catalunya.

Upon signing for London City Lionesses, the 32-year-old revealed: “I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter with London City Lionesses.

“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. Off the pitch, building on my passion for youth development, I am equally excited to work with Michele in elevating women’s football in England and on the global stage.”