The former best player in the world gives up Barcelona for Saint-Germain
The French women's team in Paris Saint-Germain included the Dutch football star and the former best player in the world, Lieke Martens, with a free deal coming from Barcelona.
The 29-year-old won the European Champions League with Barcelona in 2021, before losing the final this year to Lyon, France, 1-3.
With her country, Martins won the 2017 European Cup when she was chosen as the best player and participated in the 2019 World Cup final against the United States.
The player, who carried the colors of Barcelona between 2017 and 2022, was fifth in the Ballon d'Or rankings for the best player last year.
"After five wonderful years with this club in this beautiful city, I decided to leave the club and start a new adventure. I came to Barcelona at a time when the club started an ambitious project to become a world leader in women's football," the player wrote on Instagram.
The player, who scored 73 goals in 156 games for Barcelona, and won nine domestic league titles with him, continued, "We worked hard and I think we achieved the goals set five years ago. Winning the European Champions League was a bright spot in addition to winning the Best FIFA award under Barcelona's colors."
On her next adventure with the Qatari-owned team, Martins said, "I have always followed and loved this club. It is a team that has performed well in recent years, and this is evident from its domestic and continental results. Paris Saint-Germain can achieve great things. I have great experience that I hope to benefit the club. I am An offensive player who loves creativity.
Saint-Germain signed the Dutch player at a time when his local attacking star, Marie-Antoinette Katoto, faces the risk of leaving, whose contract expires at the end of June.
"I have my dues and I want to sort things out quickly. I hope to focus on the period after the European Cup and my near future. It will be settled very quickly, but at the moment we are completely at odds," Kattuto said in an interview with AFP.
Saint-Germain also lost its German midfielder Sarah Dabritz, who joined Lyon recently.
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