London Metropolis Lionesses verify signing of Spanish famous person Alexia Putellas | London Metropolis Lionesses

London Metropolis Lionesses have introduced the signing of Alexia Putellas at an occasion in New York, confirming the arrival within the Ladies’s Tremendous League of one of many ladies’s sport’s all-time greats.

The 2-time Ballon d’Or winner was accessible on a free switch after leaving Barcelona on the finish of the season, ending a 14-year keep throughout which she helped them to win 4 Champions League titles.

The Guardian revealed in early June that the 2023 World Cup-winning Spain midfielder had agreed private phrases with London Metropolis, who’re owned by the American businesswoman Michele Kang and completed sixth within the WSL of their debut top-flight season.

Putellas mentioned: “I’m thrilled to embark on this new chapter with London Metropolis Lionesses. The membership’s ambition and its steadfast dedication to rising as a women-only unbiased membership resonate deeply with me. I sit up for making an influence on the pitch as we problem for titles. Off the pitch, constructing on my ardour for youth growth, I’m equally excited to work with Michele in elevating ladies’s soccer in England and on the worldwide stage.”

London Metropolis have already signed large names on this switch window, together with the previous England goalkeeper Mary Earps from Paris Saint-Germain, the Denmark defender Janni Thomsen from Utah Royals and the Germany ahead Nicole Anyomi from Eintracht Frankfurt. They’re understood to be set to signal the Spain defender Mapi León and have been linked together with her Barcelona teammate Salma Paralluelo.

The 32-year-old Putellas is among the greatest gamers to affix the WSL, along with Sam Kerr, Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd. The Australia striker Kerr spent six years with Chelsea till returning to Gotham FC final month. Morgan, who scored 123 targets for the USA, spent a quick time in England as a Tottenham participant in 2020, whereas Lloyd was a short-term presence, taking part in on mortgage for Manchester Metropolis throughout 2017’s one-off Spring Sequence.

The division has additionally been graced by different legends comparable to the previous England ahead Kelly Smith, whereas present large names embrace the Manchester Metropolis duo Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema. Putellas’s transfer, although, will seize consideration like no different signing earlier than her.

She was unveiled on Wednesday by Kang, who additionally owns Washington Spirit, OL Lyonnes and a stake in Lyon’s males’s workforce. Kang has made no secret of her ambition to win trophies with London Metropolis, who play their house fixtures in Bromley.

Putellas, who can be a two-time Fifa Finest ladies’s participant award winner, is known to have been partly motivated to affix the membership by figuring out she wouldn’t be taking part in for a direct rival of Barcelona, which dominated out her becoming a member of their Champions League rivals comparable to Arsenal and Chelsea. London Metropolis are mentioned to have supplied a much more profitable contract than Barcelona.

Kang mentioned: “Alexia Putellas embodies the head of expertise, dedication, and imaginative and prescient in ladies’s soccer. Her resolution to affix our unbiased, women-first membership is a robust endorsement of what we’re constructing at London Metropolis. That is greater than a signing, it’s a daring assertion about the way forward for the game. Collectively, we’ll compete on the highest ranges whereas creating new business alternatives and growth pathways for the following era of feminine athletes.”

A Euro finalist with Spain in 2025, Putellas scored 234 instances in 513 video games for Barcelona and in addition helped them win 10 league titles and 10 Spanish Cups.