Alexia Putellas: Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder to leave Barcelona as London City Lionesses hold 'positive talks'
Alexia Putellas is leaving Barcelona after 14 years with the club; she has been linked to the WSL with London City Lionesses; Putellas has won two Ballon d'Ors and is the favourite to win it again this year; she also has numerous Champions League and Primera Division titles
Tuesday 26 May 2026 19:41, UK
Barcelona have confirmed captain Alexia Putellas is leaving the club amid strong interest from London City Lionesses this summer.
London City have held positive talks with Putellas for months and have offered a contract greater than Barcelona.
There is, however, interest from the NWSL and options are still being evaluated. A change in the salary cap rules earlier this year means she could earn around $1m (£740,000) per season in the States.
The midfielder is regarded as one of the best players in the world, and has won the Ballon d'Or twice in 2021 and 2022. She is also tipped to win it for a third time this year and would be her first since overcoming an ACL injury in 2022.
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It comes after yet another Primera Division title this season with Barcelona - her tenth - and the Champions League, beating Lyon in Saturday's showpiece final. It is the fourth time she has lifted the European title.
She was also part of the Spain squad that won the 2023 World Cup and were runners-up to England at Euro 2025.
Putellas spent a year at Barcelona's La Masia academy in her youth career, rejoining the club in 2012 from Levante and spearheading them to unprecedented success.
'A Galacticos project based in Bromley'
Analysis from Sky Sports News' Anton Toloui:
London City mean business by trying to bring in one of the biggest names in the history of the game to the Lionesses.
Putellas has just captained Barcelona to their fourth Champions League and was named the competition's Player of the Season.
She's returned to the peak of her powers at a time her club needed her after injury to teammate Aitana Bonmati.
Putellas is also one of the most recognisable and marketable faces in the game. Her latest advert for a popular crisp brand has her alongside David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Steve Carell. Her "La Reina" Nike campaign was adorned on the side of Nou Camp for years.
The fact the Lionesses are offering the Spain midfielder more money than the European champions shows the club aren't messing around.
London City head coach Eder Maestre told me after his side's final WSL game of the season that the club's "dreaming of the Champions League" next season.
These aren't just flights of fancy, they're bankrolled by the coffers of Michelle Kang.
London City also want to sign Putellas' teammate Mapi Leon, former England No.1 Mary Earps and I'm told they tested the waters on a possible move for Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw.
This looks like a Galacticos project based in Bromley.
