Barcelona Femeni have shattered their transfer record in reaching an agreement with Manchester City for the transfer of forward Kerolin.
WSL champions Manchester City will reluctantly part ways with their star forward after the show of financial muscle from their Spanish counterparts.
Once complete, Kerolin will be a marquee Barcelona Femeni signing on a four-year contract until 2030.
Barcelona Break Their Transfer Record To Sign Kerolin
Barcelona have found an agreement for the transfer of Kerolin after two previous offers were knocked back by City earlier in the window.
The Spanish giants are now set to pay above the €1m release clause in the contract of the 26-year-old due to the structure of the transfer deal that has been put in place between both clubs.
The deal for Kerolin breaks the club's transfer record by a significant distance, with their previous most expensive transfer having been £400,000 for Keira Walsh back in 2022.
Kerolin will also become the most expensive South American player in history and the third-most expensive player in history.
Her transfer fee ranks just behind Grace Geyoro's for her move to London City Lionesses, and Chelsea's signing of Alyssa Thompson last summer.
Why Barcelona Made Kerolin Their Record Signing
Barcelona are the reigning UEFA Women's Champions League winners and have shown that they are not afraid to splash the cash to strengthen their team.
Their team needed strengthening this summer after the exits of both Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo for free at the end of the 2025-26 season.
With the pair having scored a combined 33 goals last season, it was clear to coach Pere Romeu that a quality addition or two would be required to maintain their dominance domestically and in Europe.
Kerolin enjoyed a brilliant 2025-26 season, helping City to win the WSL for the first time in ten years, despite it being only her first full season.
She joined from North Carolina in January 2025 and played 18 WSL games last season, recording nine goals and five assists from the wing.
The Brazilian emerged as a market opportunity after Manchester City signed Beth Mead this summer, prompting the Spanish giants to move for Kerolin.
Barcelona have acquired a player that is capable of featuring across the front line and in attacking midfield, who can score or create from her position.
She will be an asset to Romeu's set-up, which is often fluid and demands a good technical base to thrive in.
At 26, Kerolin has her best years in front of her, and the move to Barca will enable her to continue at the levels she has shown at Manchester City and North Carolina Courage shirts.
What Young Footballers Can Learn From Kerolin's Career Journey
Kerolin has gone from the USA to England and then Spain in the space of a rollercoaster 18 or so months, because of her quality.
She showed Manchester City enough in her time in the NWSL to prompt them to make a move to sign her last January, and showed enough quality to attract the attention of Barcelona.
A global career path like Kerolin's, particularly in the women's game, validates a player's talent and quality significantly.
Young players must understand that the biggest clubs are usually willing to pay top dollar to acquire the services of elite players.
Kerolin's significant release clause and tough negotiations from the Sky Blues did not deter Barcelona from snapping her up on a permanent basis this summer.
