Salma Paralluelo Joins Lyonnes on Four-Year Deal
Lyonnes have landed one of the most feared forwards in the women’s game, confirming the signing of Spain international Salma Paralluelo on a four-year contract running until 2030.
The 22-year-old arrives as a free agent after walking away from Barcelona in June when contract talks broke down, ending a glittering spell in Catalonia and opening the door to her first club move outside Spain. Her decision follows a wave of high-profile departures from Barça this summer, with Alexia Putellas, Mapi Leon and Ona Batlle also moving on.
Reunion with Giraldez after record-breaking season
Paralluelo’s switch to France brings her back under the command of Giraldez, the coach who unlocked the most devastating form of her young career. In the 2023-24 season at Barcelona, she produced a stunning return of 34 goals and seven assists, numbers that elevated her from rising star to fully fledged elite finisher.
Across four seasons in Barça colours, the former Villarreal standout amassed 72 goals in 131 appearances and stacked her medal collection with 14 major trophies. Those honours include three UEFA Women’s Champions League titles and four Liga F crowns, underlining the winning pedigree Lyonnes are importing into their dressing room.
A former sprinter with the stride of a track athlete and the instincts of a penalty-box predator, Paralluelo arrives as a ready-made reference point for any attack. Lyonnes are betting that Giraldez can once again build a system that maximises her explosiveness and movement.
Statement signing for a squad built to dominate
Her arrival is the latest, and loudest, signal of Lyonnes’ determination to assemble a squad capable of ruling Europe. The Spanish forward caps an aggressive summer recruitment drive that has already brought in Caroline Weir, Maria Luisa Grohs and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, adding layers of creativity, security and width around a new marquee No. 9.
This is not a slow rebuild. It is a power play.
Paralluelo will be expected to slot straight into the frontline as a central figure, the focal point of a side openly targeting domestic and continental supremacy in the 2026-27 campaign. With her blend of pace, strength and composure, she offers Lyonnes a match-winner in tight games and a ruthless finisher when the chances flow.
From tormentor to talisman
There is another twist. The last act of her Barcelona career came at Lyonnes’ expense. Paralluelo signed off by scoring twice in the Women’s Champions League final against the very club she has now joined, a performance that underlined her big-game temperament and burned her image into Lyonnes’ memory.
Now the player who broke their hearts is being asked to lead their charge.
The World Cup winner is due to report for the start of pre-season on July 27, with an official public unveiling scheduled four days later. By then, the anticipation around her debut in France will be in full swing.
Lyonnes have the goalscorer they wanted. Europe will soon find out if they have built a new dynasty around her.
