Barcelona have completed the signing of Brazilian international forward Kerolin from Manchester City, with the 26-year-old putting pen to paper on a contract that will keep her at the Catalan club until 2030.
The move ends a brief but productive spell at City for Kerolin, who arrived in January 2025 from North Carolina Courage on a deal originally set to run until 2028. Despite her short stay in Manchester, she played a significant role in helping City, under head coach Andree Jeglertz, lift their first Women's Super League title in a decade last season, a triumph that was capped off with success in the Women's FA Cup as well.
Kerolin's individual contribution to that campaign was considerable. She featured in 15 WSL matches, scoring nine goals and providing five assists. Among her standout performances was a hat-trick against fierce rivals Chelsea back in February, a display that underlined her quality in England's top flight.
According to reports, the transfer fee paid by Barcelona to secure her signature is understood to be in the region of £1.3m, which would make it the largest fee ever paid for a female Brazilian footballer, reflecting both her rising stature in the game and the growing financial scale of the women's transfer market.
On the international stage, Kerolin remains a central figure for the Brazil national team. She has amassed 15 goals in 62 appearances for her country and is expected to be one of the key names for Brazil as they prepare to host the World Cup on home soil next year, adding to the significance of her move to one of Europe's leading clubs at this stage of her career.
Her arrival at Barcelona comes during a summer of considerable upheaval for the European champions, who have seen several prominent players depart. Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas has left to join London City Lionesses, while Spain defender Mapi Leon has also made the switch to the same English club. Additionally, forward Salma Parraluelo, regarded as one of the brightest talents in the women's game, has moved on to Champions League rivals Lyon.
Kerolin's signing is widely seen as Barcelona's response to the loss of Parraluelo, with the Brazilian expected to slot into the attacking areas vacated by her departure and help maintain the club's competitiveness both domestically and in Europe.
For Manchester City, the sale represents a notable loss of attacking talent just months after their title-winning campaign, though the club have moved quickly to bolster their forward line elsewhere. City have brought in England international Beth Mead this summer, a signing intended to help sustain their push for further silverware following last season's success.
The departure of Kerolin, coming so soon after she helped deliver major honors to City, highlights the increasingly competitive nature of the women's transfer market, where top European clubs are willing to pay significant fees to secure proven performers. As Barcelona look to rebuild following the exits of Putellas, Leon and Parraluelo, Kerolin's experience, goal-scoring record and international pedigree will be viewed as crucial assets as the club aims to remain at the summit of European women's football.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.