Manchester City Women’s rebuild ahead of the new season continued on Wednesday after they signed Spain defender Leila Ouahabi from Barcelona on a two-year contract.
City said that the 29-year-old wing back will officially join the club on July 1 following the conclusion of her current contract with Women’s Champions League finalists and Primera Division champions Barcelona.
A graduate of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy, Ouahabi won every trophy possible during an 11-year spell with the Catalan giants. She also spent three years at Valencia.
“This is going to be a completely different experience for me, and I’m really looking forward to it,” Ouahabi told the club website.
“I want to continue enjoying my football and City are a strong club. Both personally and professionally, I think I will grow and develop here.”
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Ouahabi is City’s second signing within a week following the arrival of Deyna Castellanos from Atletico Madrid, with a number of long-serving players leaving in the summer.
England internationals Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway and Jill Scott along with Scotland’s Caroline Weir have all left the club, while England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley announced her retirement last month.
City finished third in the 2021-22 season of the Women’s Super League behind champions Chelsea and second-placed Arsenal.