Mary Earps and Mapi Leon Poised for London City Lionesses Transfers
Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps has reached an agreement on personal terms to join London City Lionesses in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Additionally, the Women's Super League club reportedly holds a verbal agreement to sign Spanish defender Mapi Leon, who departed Barcelona last month after a nine-year tenure.
Sources indicate that both players are anticipated to finalize their contracts within this month, as London City Lionesses demonstrate significant ambition during the WSL summer transfer period.
Earps' anticipated return to English football represents a high-profile acquisition, given her extensive list of individual honors throughout a distinguished international career.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper is set to join from Paris Saint-Germain upon the expiration of her contract, following two seasons in France.
During this season, Earps made 22 appearances in Ligue 1, maintaining 12 clean sheets as PSG secured third place, trailing champions Lyon by 13 points.
She is a two-time recipient of the FIFA Best Goalkeeper of the Year award and played a pivotal role in England's triumph at Euro 2022 as well as their progression to the 2023 World Cup final.
Earps previously spent five years at Manchester United, making over 100 appearances and contributing to the club's first major trophy in 2024 when they won the Women's FA Cup.
Mapi Leon's Departure from Barcelona and International Career
Spain international Mapi Leon recently left Barcelona, where she amassed 27 trophies as part of one of Europe's most successful women's football teams.
The 30-year-old defender secured four UEFA Women's Champions League titles with Barcelona, including the most recent season's final, in which she started during their 4-0 victory over Lyon.
Leon has earned 54 caps for Spain but notably boycotted the national team for nearly three years alongside several teammates due to disputes over working conditions and conflicts with the Spanish Football Federation beginning in 2022.
She withdrew from selection for the 2023 Women's World Cup, a tournament in which Spain defeated England in the final.
Leon returned to international duty in October 2025 and started in the Nations League final the following month, contributing to Spain's 3-0 win over Germany.
London City Lionesses' Ambitions and Other Transfer Developments
London City Lionesses, supported by American businesswoman Michele Kang, finished sixth in their inaugural WSL season.
The club could experience a remarkable summer transfer window as they continue to pursue two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas.
Last week, Putellas, aged 32, announced her departure from Barcelona after 14 years with the club.
Putellas' decision regarding her next destination is anticipated to be the most significant news of the summer transfer window, amid a broader trend of high-profile player movements.
Australia captain Sam Kerr is available on a free transfer following her exit from Chelsea, while Chelsea are reportedly set to sign Arsenal's versatile defender Katie McCabe.
Manchester City are favourites to acquire England forward Beth Mead after her departure from Arsenal and have also been linked with Chelsea's Niamh Charles.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are preparing to sign England midfielder Georgia Stanway from Bayern Munich and Spanish defender Ona Batlle from Barcelona.
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