Manchester City Women Sign Spanish International Leila Ouahabi

Spanish international defender Leila Ouahabi has joined Manchester City Women from Barcelona on a two-year deal.

The 29-year-old is in Spain’s squad for this summer’s European Championship. She also represented her country at the 2019 World Cup. She will officially join the Club on 1 July, following the conclusion of her current contract with UEFA Women’s Champions League finalists and Primera Division champions, FC Barcelona Femeni.

Leila, the leading wing-backs in the Spanish game, Ouahabi is a tireless presence up and down the left flank. She won every trophy on offer during an 11-year spell with the Catalan giants. It was three years split at Valencia.

While at Barcelona, ​​​​she helped them win five First Division titles and a UEFA Women’s Champions League success in a trophy-laden period.

Manchester City has always been a team that caught my eye

Speaking about her move to Manchester, Ouahabi said: “Manchester City has always been a team that caught my eye. I really like their style of football and the DNA of the club is very exciting.

Ouahabi further said “I am very happy,” she told mancity.com after agreeing to her move.

“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 is 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.”

Leila Ouahabi background

 Born in Mataro, Catalonia, Ouahabi made her first venture into football with Vilassar de Mar as a child.

Head coach Gareth Taylor added: “Leila is a player who has grown accustomed to success throughout her career”. He added, “We are happy that she joined us in a bid to continue that here in England”.

“She has a huge amount of experience in high-pressure situations. It will give everything she has to win, which perfectly matches our own spirit.

“She is a player we got admiration for a long time given her position in the game. Finally, securing her signature is incredibly exciting.

“We are really looking forward to seeing her make her mark on the English game.”

Omaha, who has won 46 caps to date, also represented her homeland at the 2019 Women’s World Cup where they progressed past the group stages of the competition for the first time in their history before narrowly losing to the United States of America in the Round of 16.

Leila’s future plans:

She is ready to feature in this summer’s UEFA Women’s European Championships. Moreover, she will stay in England permanently after the tournament having put pen to paper on a two-year contract at the Academy Stadium.

She joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in 2007 at the age of 13. Then, she went on to spend a total of 13 years in their ranks as a youngster. Then, she professionally either side of her brief stint with Valencia.

Head Coach Gareth Taylor added: “Leila is a player who has become accustomed to success throughout her career. 

Her international career began with Spain’s Under-19s. She went on to make her senior debut against Romania in February 2016 before helping the team to win the Algarve Cup just a year later. It was when she scored the winning goal in the final against Canada.

“She has a vast amount of experience in high-pressure situations. Further, she 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. Subsequently, she finally has secured her signature is incredibly exciting.

“We’re very much looking forward to seeing her make her mark on the English game.”

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