Introduction
Alexia Putellas’ move to London City Lionesses is officially done: the two-time Ballon d’Or winner signed a three-year deal with the WSL club after 14 trophy-laden years at Barcelona, the club confirmed earlier this month. On its face, it’s simply one of the biggest free-agent signings in the sport’s history. Look one layer deeper, though, and it’s also the latest move in a much larger project — one being built by a woman who already owns an NWSL club.
Key Takeaways
- Alexia Putellas signed a three-year deal with London City Lionesses, ending a 14-year run at Barcelona in which she won 38 trophies, including four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.
- ESPN reported Putellas had multiple offers, including from the NWSL, before choosing London City; a separate report indicated an NWSL expansion club, Boston Legacy FC, made a late push that ultimately fell short.
- London City Lionesses is owned by Michele Kang, who also owns the NWSL’s Washington Spirit and France’s OL Lyonnes — meaning Putellas has joined the third club in a single owner’s growing multi-club portfolio.
- Kang has a track record of moving key figures across her clubs, including coach Jonatan Giráldez, previously of Barcelona, whom she appointed at Washington Spirit before later moving him to OL Lyonnes.
- Washington Spirit currently sits tied atop the NWSL table — meaning Kang’s NWSL club is in genuine title contention at the same moment her WSL club just landed the sport’s most decorated available free agent.
The Signing: What Happened
London City Lionesses confirmed Putellas’ arrival on a three-year contract, ending a spell at Barcelona that began in 2012 and produced 10 Liga F titles, four Champions League trophies, and 38 total pieces of silverware. She left the Catalan club on the highest possible note, capping her final season with a second consecutive quadruple and finishing with 21 goals and 13 assists across 42 appearances — including a Champions League final in which Barcelona beat OL Lyonnes 4-0. Across her Barcelona career, Putellas scored 232 goals in more than 500 appearances, a tally that trails only Lionel Messi’s 672 among the club’s men’s and women’s programs combined.
Putellas joins a London City squad already reshaped this summer by Kang’s spending, including the additions of goalkeeper Mary Earps from Paris Saint-Germain and, according to multiple reports, former Barcelona teammate Mapi León. “I look forward to making an impact on the pitch as we challenge for titles,” Putellas said in a statement, adding that she was looking forward to working alongside Kang “in elevating women’s football in England and on the global stage.”
Why It Matters: A Signing That’s Bigger Than One Player
FACT: London City is the only fully independent, women-only club in the WSL, promoted to the top flight for the first time last season and finishing sixth in its debut campaign.
ANALYSIS: A club with that recent a track record landing one of the two or three most decorated players in the sport’s history is not a normal transfer — it’s a statement of financial intent from ownership. That’s the more important story here: this isn’t really about London City’s on-field ambitions in isolation. It’s the latest data point in Michele Kang’s broader project of building a connected network of women’s clubs across three countries, with Putellas now joining the third club in that portfolio alongside Washington Spirit in the NWSL and OL Lyonnes in France.
What Does This Mean for an NWSL Club Owner?
Kang has already shown a pattern of moving talent and staff across her three clubs rather than treating them as unrelated investments. She appointed Jonatan Giráldez, formerly of Barcelona, at Washington Spirit before later moving him to OL Lyonnes — evidence that her clubs share a coaching pipeline, if not yet a direct player pipeline. Putellas’ arrival at London City, timed alongside Washington Spirit’s genuine push for the NWSL title this season, raises a real question for Spirit fans specifically: does landing a signing of this magnitude at one Kang-owned club signal more investment is coming to the others, or does it mean resources and attention are, for now, concentrated on the WSL project instead? Neither answer is confirmed publicly, but the pattern is worth watching as Washington Spirit’s season plays out.
The NWSL Nearly Got Her
FACT: ESPN reported that Putellas had several offers to weigh once she decided to leave Barcelona, including interest from the NWSL, though London City was described as the frontrunner throughout the process. A separate report indicated Boston Legacy FC, one of the NWSL’s two 2026 expansion clubs, made a late push that ultimately came up short.
ANALYSIS: Losing out on a signing isn’t usually framed as good news, but in this case it’s a genuinely useful signal about where the NWSL stands globally. A five-month-old expansion franchise being seriously in the conversation for one of the most decorated free agents ever available is a different league position than the NWSL occupied even a few years ago, when it was more commonly a destination for American returnees than international superstars weighing multiple continents. Missing out on Putellas doesn’t change that Boston Legacy, and the league broadly, were credible bidders in the first place.
What Comes Next
Putellas is expected to make her London City debut once the WSL season opens, with her stated priority being to reach peak form ahead of the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. For Washington Spirit, the more immediate storyline remains its own NWSL title race, tied atop the table as the second half of the season begins. Whether Kang’s ownership group treats Putellas’ arrival as a standalone WSL investment or the start of more direct cross-club collaboration is likely to become clearer over the coming months, particularly if Washington Spirit’s playoff push continues.
Conclusion
Alexia Putellas choosing London City Lionesses over NWSL interest is a genuine coup for a club three seasons removed from outside the WSL entirely. But for a U.S. audience, the more interesting thread is what it says about Michele Kang’s growing multi-club project — one where the NWSL’s own Washington Spirit is already a piece, and where an expansion club’s near-miss on the same player is itself a sign of how far the league’s pulling power has come.
FAQ
Why did Alexia Putellas leave Barcelona?
Putellas’ contract expired after 14 years at the club, during which she won 38 trophies. She departed as a free agent following a final season capped by a second consecutive quadruple, choosing to join London City Lionesses in the WSL on a three-year deal.
Did an NWSL team try to sign Alexia Putellas?
Yes. ESPN reported the NWSL was among the offers Putellas considered, and a separate report indicated expansion club Boston Legacy FC made a late push to sign her. London City Lionesses was described as the frontrunner throughout the process.
What other clubs does Michele Kang own?
Kang owns the NWSL’s Washington Spirit and France’s OL Lyonnes in addition to London City Lionesses, making Putellas the latest addition to a three-club, three-country ownership portfolio.
How much did Alexia Putellas win at Barcelona?
Putellas won 38 trophies across 14 years at Barcelona, including 10 Liga F titles and four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles, scoring 232 goals in more than 500 appearances.
Is Alexia Putellas playing in the 2027 World Cup?
Putellas has stated her goal is to prepare for the 2027 World Cup and 2028 Olympics at the highest level with London City Lionesses, though official Spain squad selection for those tournaments has not yet been determined.