Why Alexia Putellas could transform London City Lionesses
Beyond the headlines, Putellas' signing could reshape both the team’s playing style and ambitions
What does Alexia Putellas bring to London City Lionesses? The short answer is everything. Goals, creativity, control, leadership, experience and, perhaps most importantly, a higher ceiling.
Few players in the history of the women’s game can change the outlook of a club with a single signing, but Putellas belongs firmly in that category. Even at 32, after years spent competing for Champions League titles and Ballon d’Or awards with Barcelona, she remains one of the most influential midfielders in world football.
For a recently promoted London City side that exceeded expectations last season but still finished some distance from the WSL’s established elite, this signing feels highly promising about accelerating their project.
Solving London City’s biggest attacking issue
The most immediate impact Putellas could have comes in the final third.
Although London City showed plenty of encouraging signs during their first WSL campaign, they struggled to consistently match the attacking output of the teams above them, scoring only 28 goals to Tottenham’s 35 and Manchester United’s 38, not even considering the 40+ goals campaign by the top three teams. Much of their offensive production came from wide areas and forward players, while the midfield contributed relatively little in open play compared to the league’s top sides.
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