News Focus
- Mary Earps has agreed personal terms to move to London City Lionesses from Paris Saint-Germain
- Mapi Leon also has a verbal agreement to join the WSL club following her exit from Barcelona
- Both players are expected to sign contracts with the London-based team this month
- The club finished sixth in their first-ever season in the Women’s Super League
- London City Lionesses are also reportedly targeting Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas
London City Lionesses are preparing to make a huge impact in the transfer market. The Women’s Super League club has secured agreements to sign two of Europe’s biggest stars. Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps and Spanish defender Mapi Leon are both poised to move to the capital this summer.
Earps, who is 33 years old, has settled personal terms with the club. She will join from Paris Saint-Germain when her contract in France expires. The shot-stopper spent two seasons with the French side, keeping 12 clean sheets in 22 league matches this year. She previously enjoyed a successful five-year spell at Manchester United, where she won more than 100 caps and lifted the Women’s FA Cup.
Leon, aged 30, is set to leave Barcelona after nine trophy-laden years. The centre-back won four Champions League titles with the Catalan giants, including this season’s final victory against Lyon. She has also earned 54 caps for Spain. However, she recently spent nearly three years away from the national team due to disagreements with the Spanish Football Federation. She returned to international duty last year.
The potential double signing demonstrates the serious ambition of London City Lionesses. American businesswoman Michele Kang provides strong financial backing for the club. The team impressed during their first campaign in England’s top flight, finishing in sixth place. They hope these high-profile additions will help them climb even higher next term.
The London club is not stopping there. They are also attempting to lure Alexia Putellas away from Barcelona. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner recently announced her departure after 14 years with the Spanish side. Meanwhile, the WSL transfer window is seeing plenty of movement elsewhere. Chelsea look set to sign Katie McCabe from Arsenal, while Manchester City are favourites to land Beth Mead. Arsenal themselves are closing in on deals for Georgia Stanway and Ona Batlle.