Barcelona women's team signs Kerolin from Man City for club-record €1.5M

Hupu, July 29 — According to multiple media outlets including Diario Sport, Barcelona's board of directors approved the transfer of Brazilian international Kerolin Nicoli on Wednesday. While the club did not directly name Kerolin in the official statement following the board meeting, it confirmed that the board had been informed of an imminent new signing for the women's first team. The club will officially announce the deal once finalized.

Transfer Details

Kerolin's transfer is now complete, pending the signing of contracts by both parties. The key terms include:

• Fixed transfer fee: €1.2 million
• Performance-related add-ons: Difficult to trigger, bringing the total potential value to €1.5 million
• Record signing: This will make Kerolin the most expensive signing in Barcelona women's team history

Strategic Fit

As Diario Sport reported weeks ago, Kerolin has been the primary target for Barcelona's sports management to strengthen the forward line. With Salma and Alexia leaving this summer, the club recognized that securing a top-level attacking player would require significant financial investment.

Kerolin possesses all the characteristics Barcelona needs, including:

• Dribbling ability
• Speed
• Versatility across multiple attacking positions
• Goal-scoring efficiency

Player's Determination

The player's own desire was crucial in advancing the transfer. Kerolin made it clear from the start that she wanted to wear the Barcelona shirt, and she even skipped Manchester City's pre-season preparations, having already arrived in Barcelona. Although she had two years remaining on her contract with City, the English club eventually agreed to negotiate a permanent transfer due to the player's firm wish to move.

Club's Transfer Strategy

Barcelona's sports management also explored other transfer options, including both forward players and candidates for other positions. However, the club insisted on not entering bidding wars or paying significantly above reasonable levels for any player. Barcelona ultimately decided to allocate this budget to a player who:

• Genuinely wanted to join
• Fully fit the sporting plan and salary structure
• Could bring a notable improvement to the team

Potential Friendly Match

Additionally, the Barcelona board discussed the possibility of a friendly match against Manchester City during the meeting. The match is tentatively scheduled for August 15, three days after Barcelona's warm-up game against Montpellier and before the Joan Gamper Trophy. This match could become one of the most important pre-season tests for Pere Romeu's Barcelona women's team before the new season begins.

Source: Diario Sport