Barcelona has finalized the signing of Brazilian forward Kerolin from Manchester City in a deal reportedly worth around £1.25m, setting a new record for the largest fee received by a Women's Super League club. This surpasses the previous record of £1m for Olivia Smith's transfer from Liverpool to Arsenal last summer. Kerolin's move comes after just over a year with Manchester City, where she had two years remaining on her contract.
However, Barcelona made her a top priority following the loss of key players to WSL clubs, including Alexia Putellas and Mapi Leon to London City Lionesses. Kerolin's impressive performance with City, scoring nine goals in 15 league games and helping the team secure their first WSL title since 2016, made her an attractive target. This transfer marks a significant departure from Barcelona's usual transfer policy, as they have never paid a fee over £500k before.
Kerolin's exceptional talent and dedication to the sport, which began with playing barefoot with boys on the streets of Sao Paulo, have led to her joining the four-time European champions. Her move is seen as a natural progression in her career, 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.'