London has become a familiar meeting point for two former Barcelona midfielders, with Keira Walsh settled at Chelsea and Alexia Putellas beginning a new chapter across the capital at London City. Two summers after returning home from Spain, Walsh finds herself sharing a city again with the player who captained her at the Johan Cruyff Stadium.
Chelsea are currently second in the Women’s Super League, two points behind leaders Manchester City, and Walsh has welcomed the arrival of her old Barcelona colleague as another sign of the league’s growing pull. Putellas contacted the England international before her move, hinting that their paths would soon cross in London.
“She messaged me and said something like, ‘Maybe I’ll see you in London soon,’” Walsh said. “I told her I thought that might be true.” The pair expect to meet for dinner from time to time, offering a chance to catch up away from the demands of a crowded English season.
A friendship set aside for one December afternoon
There will be little room for sentiment when Chelsea face London City on 13 December. Walsh knows Putellas as both a close friend and a former teammate, but also as an opponent whose arrival has drawn attention well beyond the two clubs.
Walsh described the Spaniard as an excellent teammate and captain, and said she wants her friend to prosper in England. “First of all, I want her to do well and have a really good year here,” she said. “She is such a recognised figure and supporters will be watching her, but she has the ability to justify all of that attention.”
For Walsh, Putellas’s move is also meaningful for the wider WSL landscape. The Chelsea midfielder believes that attracting a player of the Spaniard’s stature underlines the standard now found in the English women’s game.
“I hope she makes an impact on the league,” Walsh said. “When players such as Alexia come here, it shows the level of women’s football in England. It is hugely exciting to have one of the world’s best players, perhaps the best, playing in our league.”
