Salma Paralluelo’s July switch to OL Lyonnes was one more sign that Barcelona’s great women’s side is being tested from outside, with France now part of the pull. The Spanish forward left a club still collecting trophies and reaching Champions League finals, but Lyon’s new era under Michele Kang has helped make the European market far less predictable.
The move
Paralluelo joined OL Lyonnes in July after Barcelona accepted that her situation was more open than some of the other high-profile departures from the squad. Her arrival gave Lyon another elite-level attacking option as the French club continues its rebuilding project.
She was not the only major Barcelona name to leave. Alexia Putellas, the former captain and two-time Ballon d’Or winner in 2021 and 2022, said goodbye to the Catalan club almost four months ago before joining London City Lionesses, another Michele Kang-owned side.
Putellas’ farewell at Camp Nou was an emotional occasion. Surrounded by the silverware from her Barcelona career, including four Champions League titles and 10 Liga crowns, she struggled to hold back tears. She described a bond in which she had “given everything” and called it “a perfect story”.
She later explained that she wanted a new challenge in England. Her reported salary rose by 30%, to roughly €1.5 million per year.
- Alexia Putellas — moved to London City Lionesses
- Mapi León — moved to London City Lionesses
- Ona Batlle — moved to Arsenal
- Lucy Bronze — moved to Chelsea in a previous season
- Mariona Caldentey — moved to Arsenal in a previous season
- Salma Paralluelo — signed for OL Lyonnes in July
The departures have come despite Barcelona’s remarkable dominance. The club has remained vastly superior in its domestic league and has reached six consecutive Champions League finals. In May, Barcelona beat Lyon 4-0 in the Champions League final.
The French season around it
For Lyon, Paralluelo’s arrival reflects the financial and sporting ambition surrounding the club under Kang. In France, Kang has been seen as a central figure in OL Lyonnes’ revival; in Catalonia, however, her growing network has been viewed more as a direct threat to Barcelona’s model.
Barcelona goalkeeper Cata Coll offered a pointed response after the 4-0 final win over Lyon, insisting that “money does not buy everything”. The comment came as clubs backed by greater spending power sought to lure established Barcelona players away.
Barcelona still have considerable strength, both on the pitch and in their accounts. Their women’s team remains the club’s most dependable section financially, producing a profit of more than €8 million this year.
Barcelona’s answer
The response is not simply to spend. Barcelona are continuing to lean on their academy while adding selected young recruits and the occasional major signing.
Clara Serrajordi, 18, is among the home-grown players expected to form part of the next cycle. Switzerland’s Sydney Schertenleib, 19, represents the younger recruitment profile Barcelona have been developing.
There has also been room for a statement purchase. Brazil international Kerolin, 26, joined for €1.2 million, making her Barcelona’s most expensive signing in the women’s team’s history.
Paralluelo’s move to Lyon therefore sits within a wider reshaping of the European game: Barcelona remain champions and financially healthy, but their ability to keep every leading player can no longer be taken for granted. In Lyon, that changing balance has delivered one of the French season’s most significant arrivals.
