Legendary Barcelona Femeni captain Alexia Putellas might be set for a move to the London City Lionesses after confirming she will be leaving the Spanish giants at the end of the season.
The two-time Ballon d'Or winner, who made over 500 appearances for Barcelona, recently helped her side complete a historic quadruple when they smashed Lyon Women 4-0 in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, to make it the 38th trophy with the Blaugrana.
"I’ve always said that you can't defend this shirt halfway, and I understand that I have given everything I have," Putellas shared in an emotional farewell video.
"I said I wanted the final moment to come when I was at my best, giving everything and with 100 percent energy. That's it, now it's time. It has been a perfect story."
She leaves Barcelona on an ultimate high, with the midfielder on course for a third Ballon d'Or victory having carried the team on her back following Aitana Bonmatí’s broken leg in December.
Now the question Striver.Football attempts to answer is, who will the Spanish maestro sign for next?
But as the curtain falls on a legendary chapter in Catalonia, the global game is asking the ultimate question: Where does the Queen land next?
Why London City Lionesses Are Emerging as Shock Contenders
Rumors in the Spanish media have immediately linked the 32-year-old veteran with a monumental move to London City Lionesses.
The link is sophisticated and highly intentional. London City Lionesses belong to multi-club visionary Michele Kang, the billionaire owner of Lyon and the Washington Spirit.
Kang’s ambition is to turn London City into a global powerhouse, and signing the most iconic figure in women's football history would be the ultimate statement of intent.
Furthermore, whispers across international women's soccer newsletters continue to hint at heavy interest from the NWSL, where American franchises are prepared to offer unprecedented commercial packages to bring Putellas across the Atlantic.
For Putellas, the move represents a final frontier. Having conquered Europe four times and won the 2023 World Cup, her next step is about legacy, brand expansion, and guiding another project into the professional elite, much like she did in Catalonia.
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How Putellas Became a Women’s Football Phenom
Putellas joined Barcelona from Levante in 2012 at a time when women’s football was still neglected.
The club lacked a dedicated training pitch. Players changed in bleak dressing rooms that lacked adequate shower rooms, and facilities often ran out of hot water. At the time, Barca were just about to make their UWCL debut.
They were thrashed 7-0 on aggregate by Arsenal. Although Spain was a giant in men’s football, the country had yet to be more intentional with the women’s game.
At that time, the best Spanish talent fled to the USA, France, or Germany. They did not care about the women's game.
But Putellas stayed. By 24, she was the captain. In 2015, she pushed the club into professionalism, and by 2019, they had reached the Champions League final, although they lost 4-1 to Lyon.
"Tell us what we need to be the best team in Europe. We’ll do whatever it takes," Putellas told the coaching staff as quoted on The Athletic.
They doubled training sessions. They revolutionized physical conditioning. They built a dynasty.
By 2022, her club had finally become a powerhouse after they had indeed grown together. The images she leaves behind are permanent milestones in football history: bowing to 90,000 fans chanting her name at the Camp Nou in 2022; ripping her shirt off in pure ecstasy after scoring the 95th-minute sealer in Bilbao after returning from a torn ACL; and weeping on the Camp Nou grass on May 3 after defeating Bayern Munich, a moment we now realise was her final goodbye to the home stadium.
What Next For Barcelona?
Putellas’ expected departure is just one of a number of exits that will be witnessed over the next few months.
The club is set to undergo a period of transition, as defenders Mapi Leon, Ona Batlle, and Marta Torrejon are all expected to follow Putellas through the exit door.
While the club is actively working to tie down new deals for Caroline Graham Hansen, Salma Paralluelo, and manager Pere Romeu, Putellas, who was the glue that held the dressing room together through a decade of growth is moving on.
"At the beginning, being a footballer wasn't even recognized as a profession," Putellas reflected. "And now I feel only the privilege of having been part of this change."
Wherever she goes next, Putellas will not simply be signing for another football club. She will be carrying the weight of an entire era of women’s football with her.
Barcelona may eventually replace the player on the pitch, but replacing the cultural impact and leadership of Alexia Putellas could take an entire generation.
