Barcelona agree world-record fee to sign Keira Walsh from Manchester City

Barcelona have agreed a world-record fee with Manchester City for England midfielder Keira Walsh. The 25-year-old, one of the stars of the Lionesses’ Euros success over the summer, has been with City since 2014 and has a year left on her contract.

It is understood that after previous bids from Barça for Walsh were rejected, a fee – reportedly around £350,000 – has now been agreed before Wednesday’s 11pm Spanish transfer deadline, that would see her become the world’s most expensive female footballer.

Two years ago Denmark midfielder Pernille Harder joined Chelsea from Wolfsburg for what was reported to be a world-record fee in excess of £250,000.

Completion of Walsh’s move would add to the list of England players to have departed City this summer, which includes Lucy Bronze leaving to sign for the same Spanish club in June. Georgia Stanway has moved to Bayern Munich, while Ellen White and Jill Scott have retired.

Barcelona are the reigning Spanish title holders, and were Champions League runners-up last season, a year on from beating Chelsea 4-0 to win the competition.

City finished third in the Women’s Super League last season and were eliminated in the first qualifying round of this season’s Champions League qualifiers.

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Walsh, who won the 2016 WSL title, three FA Cups and four League Cups with City, earned her 50th England cap in Tuesday’s 10-0 win over Luxembourg in Stoke. She also played for Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.