Kerolin Missed Man City Pre-Season Before Barcelona Move 2026

Key Points

• As per The Guardian, Kerolin did not turn up for pre-season training for Manchester City in July before the transfer of the Brazil attacker to Barcelona was completed.
• The Spanish club announced the arrival of Kerolin in Barcelona on a contract until 2030.
• The transfer fee has not been disclosed officially; however, it has been said that the fee is around £1.25 million or €1.5 million.
• This transfer fee is being claimed as the highest transfer deal for a Women’s Super League club ever.
• Additionally, it is also said to be the record purchase by Barcelona and biggest ever transfer fee of a Brazilian women’s footballer.
• A number of Manchester City players and staff reportedly felt unhappy with the absence of Kerolin during pre-season physical test.
• Last season, she played a crucial role for Manchester City in winning the Women’s Super League and Women’s FA Cup.
• Barcelona signed the 26-year-old forward due to the departure of several top players from the team.
• The permanent transfer has been announced by Manchester City on 6 August.

Manchester City FC (Manchester Mirror) August 06, 2026 – Kerolin failed to report for Manchester City’s pre-season training in July before her transfer to Barcelona had been agreed, according to a report by The Guardian. The Brazil forward’s absence came as the Women’s Super League champions began preparations for the new campaign, and it has cast new light on the circumstances surrounding her departure from the English club.

Barcelona had already announced the signing earlier in the week, but the details of Kerolin’s final period at Manchester City emerged only after the transfer was completed. The Guardian reported that she did not return for the club’s pre-season work, including fitness testing, despite previously being regarded as being on good terms with the squad.

The newspaper said several City staff members and players were disappointed by what they viewed as attempts by Kerolin to force a move to Barcelona. The report did not state that the player had been formally disciplined or that Manchester City had launched a public complaint. Instead, it described an internal sense of surprise and frustration over her failure to report.

City were understood to have no objection to the transfer in principle. However, according to The Guardian, sources said the club and members of the team were taken aback by Kerolin’s absence before an agreement had been reached. The report also said that her time at City ended on a surprisingly sour note after an otherwise successful spell.

The account is based on information obtained by The Guardian. The report did not include a public statement from Kerolin explaining why she did not attend the pre-season programme, and Manchester City had not publicly commented on the circumstances by the time the story was published.

What has Barcelona confirmed about Kerolin?

Barcelona confirmed on 4 August that Kerolin had joined the club from Manchester City. In its announcement, the Spanish side said the Brazilian forward had signed a contract running until 2030 and would add talent, pace and international experience to the team’s attack.

The club later presented Kerolin as a Barcelona player at its offices at Spotify Camp Nou. Barcelona said the agreement would keep her at the club until 30 June 2030, making the move a long-term commitment rather than a short-term addition to the squad.

Kerolin, 26, arrives after spending 18 months at Manchester City. She joined the English club from North Carolina Courage in January 2025 and remained under contract with City until 2028, according to reporting by the BBC and The Guardian.

Her arrival gives Barcelona another attacking option as the European champions reshape their squad. ESPN reported that the transfer was not intended as a direct replacement for Alexia Putellas, but that Kerolin was brought in to strengthen the team following several important departures.

Barcelona’s announcement did not disclose the transfer fee. That is significant because the reported value varies slightly between outlets, although the different figures all indicate a record-level transaction in the women’s game.

How much did Barcelona pay for Kerolin?

Barcelona are believed to have paid approximately £1.25 million for Kerolin. The Guardian reported that the fee was undisclosed officially but was understood to be in the region of £1.25 million. Sky Sports also reported a figure of about £1.25 million, describing it as the largest fee ever received by a WSL club.

Other reports placed the transfer at €1.5 million, which is just under £1.3 million. ESPN described the deal as worth up to €1.5 million, while Playmaker and Yahoo Sports also reported the same euro figure.

Because neither club initially published the full financial terms, the precise amount remains unconfirmed. The reported differences may reflect bonuses, add-ons or currency conversions rather than separate transactions. Until the clubs release a detailed breakdown, the safest description is that Barcelona paid a fee of about £1.25 million to €1.5 million.

The reported amount exceeds the previous record for a transfer fee received by a WSL club. The Guardian said it eclipsed Liverpool’s reported £1 million uk/local/sale/">sale of Olivia Smith to Arsenal in 2025. Sky Sports and Just Women’s Sports also identified the Smith transfer as the previous benchmark.

The deal is also reported to be Barcelona’s most expensive purchase in women’s football. Brazilian publication Veja said the transaction represented Manchester City Women’s largest sale, Barcelona Women’s biggest purchase and the highest fee paid for a Brazilian women’s player.

What did Kerolin achieve at Manchester City?

Kerolin leaves Manchester City after an important season for the club. The BBC reported that she played a key role in helping Andrée Jeglertz’s side win its first WSL title in 10 years. City also won the Women’s FA Cup during the same campaign.

Her departure therefore comes at a significant moment for Manchester City. The club had secured domestic success and was preparing to defend its position, while Barcelona were strengthening a squad that had also enjoyed success in Europe.

The BBC reported that Kerolin was contracted to City until 2028. That remaining contract helped give the English club leverage during negotiations, particularly because Barcelona were seeking an established forward with international experience.

The Athletic, in reporting before the deal was completed, said City were expected to demand a significant fee because Kerolin still had two years remaining on her contract. The report also said the number of wide forwards in Jeglertz’s squad could influence the decision to allow her to leave.

That earlier reporting provides context for the completed transfer. It indicated that Kerolin’s departure was being considered as part of Manchester City’s squad planning, even though the timing and manner of her exit later became a source of tension.

Why is the transfer important for women’s football?

The reported fee highlights the growing financial value of elite women’s football transfers. A fee of around £1.25 million would represent a clear increase on the previous WSL record and would place Kerolin among the most expensive players to move between women’s clubs.

The transfer also reflects the different roles now played by leading clubs in the women’s game. Manchester City have lost a forward who contributed to a league and cup-winning campaign, while Barcelona have used their financial strength and sporting status to recruit from another major European club.

For Barcelona, the move is part of a broader rebuild. ESPN reported that the club had experienced several significant departures during the summer, while Just Women’s Sports described Kerolin as a player arriving to fill an attacking need after exits involving prominent names.

The deal is also notable for Brazil. Reports from ESPN, Veja and other outlets described the fee as a record for a Brazilian women’s player. The transaction places Kerolin at the centre of a milestone for both the Brazilian national team and the international club market.

However, the financial record should not obscure the unresolved details of her departure. The transfer itself has been confirmed, but the reasons for her absence from City’s pre-season and the extent of any disagreement between the player and club have not been publicly explained by all parties.

What have Manchester City and Barcelona said?

Barcelona’s public communication has focused on the sporting side of the deal. The club described Kerolin as a forward who would strengthen the attack with pace, talent and international experience. It also confirmed the length of her contract through 2030.

Manchester City confirmed on 6 August that Kerolin had joined Barcelona on a permanent transfer. The club’s announcement confirmed the destination and nature of the move but did not provide details about the player’s failure to report for pre-season.

That difference in public messaging is important. Barcelona have presented the transfer as a major signing, while the recent reporting has added a separate account of how Kerolin’s final weeks at City unfolded.

There has been no publicly verified statement from Kerolin in the available reports that directly explains her absence from training or responds to the suggestion that she tried to force a move. The claims about disappointment among City staff and players come from sources cited by The Guardian, rather than from an official Manchester City statement.

Background: how did Kerolin reach Barcelona?

Kerolin began the latest stage of her European career when she moved from North Carolina Courage to Manchester City in January 2025. She spent 18 months with the English club and helped the team win major domestic honours during her time there.

Her contract with City was reported to run until 2028, but Barcelona’s interest led to negotiations during the 2026 summer transfer window. The Athletic reported before completion that City expected a fee above €1 million and that the club’s squad structure would be a factor in deciding whether to sell.

Barcelona eventually completed the agreement and announced Kerolin’s arrival on a deal lasting until 2030. The reported fee made the transfer a club record and pushed the WSL’s outgoing transfer benchmark above the previous figure established by Olivia Smith’s move from Liverpool to Arsenal.

The transfer also continued Barcelona’s recruitment of high-level international talent. The club’s official announcement characterised Kerolin as an experienced Brazil international whose pace and attacking ability would add another dimension to the squad.

Prediction: what could Kerolin’s move mean for Barcelona supporters?

For Barcelona supporters, Kerolin’s transfer is likely to create expectations that she will contribute quickly in attack. Her pace and international experience fit the qualities identified by the club, but the size of the reported fee means her performances will be closely assessed from the beginning of the season.

The move could also increase competition for attacking positions. Barcelona have made the signing after several notable departures, so Kerolin may receive substantial opportunities, although her precise role will depend on the manager’s formation, the fitness of other forwards and how quickly she adapts to the team’s style.

For Manchester City supporters, the immediate effect is the loss of a player who contributed to a title-winning campaign. The club’s reported decision to allow the transfer suggests it will rely on its existing forwards and any further recruitment to maintain its challenge after winning the WSL and Women’s FA Cup.

The record fee may benefit the wider women’s game by giving clubs greater confidence to invest in player development and negotiate higher transfer values. At the same time, Kerolin’s pre-season absence could prompt renewed discussion among supporters and clubs about player conduct, contractual obligations and the importance of clear communication during transfers.

The sporting impact will ultimately be judged by Kerolin’s performances at Barcelona and by how Manchester City replace her contribution. The financial records are already significant, but the longer-term importance of the move will depend on whether she becomes a decisive player for Barcelona and whether City can remain competitive without her.