Barcelona has finalized the acquisition of Brazilian forward Kerolin from Manchester City, with the deal reportedly valued at approximately £1.25m, setting a new record for the largest fee received by a WSL club, surpassing the £1m transfer of Olivia Smith from Liverpool to Arsenal last summer. Kerolin's tenure at City was brief, joining in January last year, but Barcelona made her a top priority after losing key players to WSL clubs, including Alexia Putellas and Mapi Leon to London City Lionesses. The transfer surpasses their previous record of €470,000 (£400,000) for midfielder Keira Walsh in 2022. Kerolin's impressive performance, scoring nine goals in 15 league games, contributed to City's first WSL title since 2016.
According to Sky Sports' Laura Hunter, Kerolin's departure marks a significant moment, as she leaves the Women's Super League as its most expensive export. Barcelona's willingness to exceed their transfer policy for Kerolin underscores her exceptional talent, forged from her early days playing barefoot with boys on the streets of Sao Paulo.
The 26-year-old's move to the four-time European champions seems inevitable, as she had expressed her desire to play at the highest level, saying, 'Always the most highly-ranked players are playing here or in Spain, to be in the vision of the world.' Kerolin departs as a WSL champion, with her transfer being a subject of analysis by Laura Hunter.