Emily KeoghCloseEmily KeoghCorrespondentBased in London, Emily Keogh is ESPN's women's soccer correspondent, specializing in the WSL and UWCL
London City Lionesses are leading the race to land Alexia Putellas as the midfielder weighs up three offers after announcing she will leave Barcelona, various sources have told ESPN.
A source at London City said negotiations are ongoing with the two-time Ballon d'Or winner but that no final deal has been agreed yet.
Sources close to the player confirmed Putellas is also considering two other options, including one from an NWSL side and another from a Mexican team, although they could not name the clubs.
The same sources added that Putellas is also open to other offers which may still arrive and that she is in no rush to make a decision on her future after her ending her 14-year association with Barça.
Putellas, 32, is currently on international duty with Spain. She scored twice in Friday's 4-0 win over England and hopes to help La Roja confirm their place at next summer's World Cup in Brazil with victory against Iceland on Tuesday.
Sources said she then plans to go on holiday, where she will analyse the offers she has on the table before making a final call on her next move.
Sources have told ESPN that London City have already reached an agreement to sign Barça defender Mapi León this summer as a free agent as her deal with the Catalan club expires.
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Landing Putellas on top of that would be a real statement for a side that was only promoted to the WSL just over a year ago, finishing sixth in their first full campaign in the top flight.
London City owner Michele Kang has regularly looked to Barça to strengthen the various teams in her portfolio, having previously appointed coach Jonatan Giráldez at first with Washington Spirit and later OL Lyonnes.
Barça's former sporting director Markel Zubizarreta was also brought in as global sporting director at Kynisca, the group which oversees Kang's various teams.
After gaining promotion in 2025, London City also signed Jana Fernández and Lucía Corrales from Barça, although the additions of León and Putellas may prove much more significant in the team's development.
Putellas confirmed at the end of May that she would leave Barça after helping the club win a fourth Champions League trophy by beating Lyonnes 4-0 in the final in Oslo.
She has been at the heart of a Barça team which has dominated European football over the last seven years, winning 38 trophies, including 10 Liga F titles and four Champions Leagues.
With 232 goals, she is the top scorer in the history of the women's team and the second top scorer across both the men's and women's teams -- only Lionel Messi (672) has scored more.
Her performances with her club led to her winning the Ballon d'Or in 2021 and 2022, years in which she was also named The Best FIFA Women's Player, while she won the World Cup with Spain in 2023.
Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49007747/london-city-lionesses-leading-race-sign-alexia-putellas-barcelona-sources