Barcelona stun their fans with shock swoop for England star Bronze on a two-year deal
LUCY BRONZE could "not say no" to a Barcelona move with the defender set for a stunning switch to the LaLiga Women’s giants.
The Spanish champions confirmed the shock move on social media with a photo of the full-back in the club’s famous kit.
It comes ahead of the expiration of the free agent's Manchester City deal at the end of June, with the player joining Barca on a two-year contract until June 2024.
The former WSL star had been linked with a move to the USA’s National Women’s Soccer League, 13 years on from playing college football in North Carolina.
However, the England ace, 30, passed her medical for a transfer to the record LaLiga champs at a hospital in Barcelona today.
Of her move, Bronze said: "I'm very happy to play for a club like Barcelona, one of the biggest teams in the world.
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"I really want to start working with the team.
"After a couple of conversations, you can't say no to Barca."
Bronze, who has been named in the Lionesses’ 23-strong squad for the Euros, is due to take part in a presentation ceremony led by the Catalan side’s president Joan Laporta.
The club’s reveal of her transfer came as a shock to some of their fans and other football followers on social media.
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The switch for Bronze, who won Fifa’s 2020 Best Women’s Player of the Year gong, comes after a two-year stint at Man City, her second spell with the club.
She made 31 top-tier City appearances from 2020 to 2022 and helped the club to an FA Cup win in 2020 and a League Cup this year.
During her first Citizens spell the England star helped the club to league title and cup wins in 2016 and another FA Cup in 2017.
Bronze’s switch comes after Barca confirmed the signing of left-back Nuria Rabano from Real Sociedad and Laia Codina’s return from an AC Milan loan spell.
Her transfer will also see her join a Champions League-winning side for the second time in her career following a trophy-laden spell with French giants Lyon from 2017 to 2020.
During her time in France, the player helped the French side to win nine major trophies including three Champions League crowns.
The confirmation of Bronze joining Barcelona comes a month after Georgia Stanway's Bayern Munich move.
The England midfield ace, who became Man City's record goalscorer this year, is one of six players to have left the club this summer.
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Jill Scott and Caroline Weir are among the other international stars headed for pastures new following the expiration of their City contracts.
And Scotland forward Weir has been heavily linked with a move to Barca's rivals Real Madrid.
