The joy of lifting all four trophies in 2025-26 has been short-lived for Barcelona\u2019s women\u2019s team as they face a second consecutive summer exodus.<\/p>\n
If winning the Champions League<\/a> is not enough to retain players then you have to wonder what is. Seven players have left the European champions so far with 19-year-old Renee van Asten from Ajax the only arrival.<\/p>\n To make matters worse some of the team\u2019s best players are those departing with twice Ballon d\u2019Or winner Alexia Putellas top of that list. Fellow Spain internationals Ona Batlle, Mapi Le\u00f3n and Salma Paralluelo have also left.<\/p>\n The reason? As so often when it comes to football: money. The men\u2019s La Liga financial fair play troubles continue to disrupt the club from top to bottom. At the time of writing the women\u2019s team have 17 senior players \u2013 two goalkeepers, six defenders, six midfielders and three forwards \u2013 although they are in talks to sign the Brazil forward Kerolin from Manchester City.<\/p>\n Putellas was the biggest loss for the club, leaving her home of 14 years for Michele Kang\u2019s London City Lionesses<\/a> in the Women\u2019s Super League. The fact that she left on a free transfer highlighted an internal management crisis at the club. Mapi Le\u00f3n followed her <\/a>Blaugrana<\/a> captain to London City<\/a>, also on a free transfer, where they will be reunited with three former teammates; Jana Fern\u00e1ndez, Mar\u00eda P\u00e9rez and Luc\u00eda Corrales.<\/p>\n The WSL is a popular destination for Barcelona players with 14 of their last 19 departures joining clubs in England. Batlle signed for Arsenal<\/a>, where she will join up with the former Barcelona winger Mariona Caldentey. Salma Paralluelo has yet to announce where she will be playing next season, though PSG are the favourite to sign her after negotiations with Chelsea broke down.<\/p>\n Those 19 departures have come since 2024 and they include academy players who have made regular appearances for the first team. At the same time there have only been two signings and two academy players who have joined the senior side. The reserve goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck arrived in July 2024, but left after one season, while Laia Aleixandri joined on a free transfer from Manchester City in June 2025.<\/p>\n Ona Batlle has joined Arsenal. Photograph: David Price\/Arsenal FC\/Getty Images<\/p>\n With their pre-season training commencing on Monday 27 July the pressure is on to sign players to reinforce a squad that looks threadbare at best and dangerously thin at worst. The club have said that there will be signings \u2013 and that they will be announced soon \u2013 but whether they are seasoned pros or academy products remain to be seen.<\/p>\n Last season academy products A\u00efcha Camara and Clara Serrajordi were given first-team contracts with the club in a similar situation. In the past Barcelona have been able to promote high-quality players from within but now the problem is that key academy players are leaving as well. The goalkeeper Txell Font left for city neighbours FC Badalona, Adriana Ranera signed for Deportiva de A Coru\u00f1a, Martine Fenger left for Hoffenheim and Alba Ca\u00f1o landed in the NWSL with Boston Legacy.<\/p>\n Some academy players did step up last season and arguably saved the club\u2019s campaign. Serrajordi deputised in the midfield when Aitana Bonmat\u00ed or Patri Guijarro were out and Camara played a big role in the defensive line with Batlle picking up a month-long injury. However, as the best academy players have already been given first-team contracts there are fewer options to turn to this summer. Midfielders Carla Juli\u00e0 (19) and Rosal\u00eda Dom\u00ednguez (17) seem to be current favourites to make the jump to the first team should the club prioritise signing in-house talent.<\/p>\n Last season Barcelona Femen\u00ed made a profit of \u20ac1.955m (\u00a31.67m), their best financial result since the 2023-24 campaign. That came off the back of the Champions League prize money being increased and the team collecting all three domestic trophies. However, with some of their biggest names departing they are unlikely to match that figure in 2026-27.<\/p>\n Losing Batlle will have a big impact on the defence, coming as it does a year after Fridolina R\u00f6lf\u00f6 joined Manchester United. Van Asten, as mentioned, has signed from Ajax and Martina Fern\u00e1ndez looks likely to return from Everton. The forward line appears even thinner, although the coach, Pere Romeu, has a particular style of football and can utilise midfielders such as Vicky L\u00f3pez, Kika Nazareth and Sydney Schertenleib in attack.<\/p>\n It feels like this team is one major injury away from imploding. They got away with it last season \u2013 in fact, they won everything they could \u2013 but for how long can this carry on? A team hoping to defend their title as European champions can\u2019t continue to rely solely on academy products for ever.<\/p>\n Get in touch<\/p>\n If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email moving.goalposts@theguardian.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n