Barcelona are close to signing Brazilian forward Keroline from Manchester City for a fee of €1.5m (£1.28m).
The deal will be the largest fee ever received by a WSL club. Olivia Smith’s £1m director arsenal from Liverpool Last summer.
Kerolin joined City in January last year and has two more years left on her contract, but Barca were determined enough to sign her and break their own transfer record by more than 200%.
The previous most expensive transfer was for a Manchester City midfielder at the time. Keira WalshHe joins in 2022 for a fee of €470,000 (£400,000).
The Spanish champion has already been defeated Salma Paraluello This summer.
Kerolin scored nine goals in 15 WSL games for City last season, helping them win their first WSL title since 2016.
Barcelona have hit back after their stars switched Catalonia to the WSL.
Analysis from Sky Sports News’ Callum Bishop:
Just months after Barcelona secured European dominance once again by winning all four major trophies, including the Champions League, the club have watched their core disintegrate.
Two-time Ballon d’Or Feminine winner Alexia Putellas grabbed the headlines but then moved to London City Lionesses alongside Mapi Leon.
There was also defender Ona Batlle who chose to join Arsenal. It’s a big sign that the WSL’s appeal is growing and threatening to upset the apple cart in Catalonia.
But Kerolin’s transfer is a statement of Barcelona’s intentions. They are a superpower in women’s football, and despite losing many of their stars, they still retain their charm.
By targeting the Brazilian, Barcelona are looking to add some potential to their attack. On the surface, Kerolin’s nine WSL goals last season might not surprise you. Teammates Khadija Shaw (21) and Vivianne Miedema (10) both managed more.
But Kerolin’s per 90% stats show just how powerful she is. She ranked fifth in goals, second in assists and fourth in big chance conversions. Her performance would no doubt have been more impressive had it not been for the injury she suffered in October. But her goals per 90 minutes show just how important she was to City’s title run and the caliber of player Barcelona will have going forward.
