Laia Aleixandri will arrive after five seasons with Primera Division side Atletico Madrid; she will link up with her former team-mate Deyna Castellanos at the Academy Stadium; Leila Ouahabi has also joined the club from Barcelona as a busy summer continues
Thursday 9 June 2022 14:32, UK
Laia Aleixandri has signed a three-year deal with Manchester City Women.
The 21-year-old Spain defender, who made 50 appearances in all competitions for Atletico Madrid, will join City on July 1, subject to international clearance.
Aleixandri represented Spain at the U17 and U20 Women's World Cup competitions in 2016 and 2018 before making her senior debut in May 2019 against Cameroon, marking the occasion with a goal.
Speaking about her decision to join City, Aleixandri, who was named by UEFA as one of the 10 most promising young players in Europe in January 2020, said: "I am very happy to be here and to be a part of this amazing club - I am very excited for what is to come.
"Manchester City is a very big club with top players and staff, and I believe this is the best move for me to make. This is a team who likes to play with the ball and with an offensive style, and that suits me personally.
"My dream here is to win a lot of titles and to improve as a player with the help of my new teammates."
Head coach Gareth Taylor added: "Having such a talented young player as Laia join our team is a real coup for us as a club.
"Even though she is only 21, she has an incredible amount of experience under her belt for both club and country so far and it is so exciting to think about what is to come from her in the future.
"She is a player who is hungry to learn and grow, and she will certainly have the opportunity to do that here at City with the team she will have around her."
There have also been a number of outgoings at Man City this summer, with Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Caroline Weir and Jill Scott leaving the club.
On Wednesday, Man City signed Barcelona and Spain defender Leila Ouahabi on a two-year deal. The 29-year-old will also officially join the club on July 1.
Ouahabi has been a driving force behind success for Barcelona and Spain. She joined the Catalan club in 2016, winning five Primera Division titles, seven Copa de la Reinas, two Supercopa Femeninas, three Copa Catalunyas and one Women's Champions League after Barcelona beat Chelsea in 2021.
Making her senior international debut for Spain in February 2016, she helped them win the Algarve Cup the following year - scoring the winning goal against Canada. Ouahabi also was also part of a historic Spanish Women's World Cup team in 2019, where they progressed past the group stages for the first time before losing to USA in the round of 16.
Speaking about her move to Manchester, Ouahabi said: "I am very happy. I was looking forward to this moment and I am really happy now it is all done.
"Manchester City have always been a team that caught my eye. I like their style of football so much and the DNA of the Club is very exciting.
"This is going to be a completely different experience for me, and I'm really looking forward to it. I want to continue enjoying my football and City are a strong club.
''Both personally and professionally, I think I will grow and develop here.
"I also want to keep winning trophies. I like winning and being competitive, and I am coming here to win trophies for City."
Head coach Gareth Taylor added: "Leila is a player who has become accustomed to success throughout her career, and we're thrilled that she has joined us in a bid to continue that here in England.
"She has a vast amount of experience in high-pressured situations and will give everything she has to win, which matches our own ethos perfectly.
"She is a player who we have admired for a long time given her standing in the game and to finally have secured her signature is incredibly exciting.
"We're very much looking forward to seeing her make her mark on the English game."
Deyna Castellanos has also joined Man City in the last week. The striker signed a three-year deal after arriving from Atletico Madrid.
The 23-year-old - who will wear the No 10 shirt - scored 23 goals in 58 appearances during a two-and-a-half season stint with Atletico, where she won the 2021 Spanish Super Cup.
She told Sky Sports News: "It feels great to be part of this team. I'm very excited to start the league and pre-season, and train with my team-mates and the coaching staff. I'm excited to have a new chapter in my life and in my career."
