London City Lionesses pulled off the WSL's biggest offseason coup, signing two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas to a three-year deal reportedly worth around $1.85 million a year — making her the third-highest-paid player in women's soccer. She's expected to make her London City debut as early as the club's September 4 season opener against Manchester United.
Why she left Barcelona
Putellas spent 14 years at Barcelona, winning 38 titles and closing out her time there with a second consecutive quadruple. By her own account, the move wasn't about anything going wrong — it was about wanting a new challenge at the peak of her career. "I want to change, I want to improve, I want to challenge myself," Putellas told CBS Sports of the decision to leave one of the sport's dominant clubs for a league she's never played in.
A statement signing for a growing club
London City Lionesses are owned by Michele Kang's Kynisca Sports International, which holds stakes in multiple women's soccer clubs globally, and the signing is being treated as a marker for the group's ambitions in England. "This is more than a signing; it is a bold statement about the future of the sport," Kang told CBS Sports of landing Putellas.
For a club that's still establishing itself in the WSL, adding one of the most decorated players in the modern game changes the conversation instantly — both about what London City expects from this season and about the WSL's growing pull on the sport's biggest names. Her first appearance, in front of a season-opening crowd against Manchester United, will be one of the most-watched moments of the WSL's opening weekend.
← Back to the Blog