Barcelona icon Alexia Putellas to choose next club 'this week' as two NWSL sides push to overtake London City Lionesses in race for two-time Ballon d'Or winner

Putellas ended her 14-year stay with Barcelona, her childhood club, last month, bowing out having played a starring role in another quadruple for the Blaugrana. The Spain international scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists across all competitions for the club, helping them to win Liga F, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana and the Champions League. Putellas was also crowned the Player of the Season in the latter competition, another indication that she is the front-runner for the Ballon d'Or, to be handed out in September.

Whoever wins the race to sign the 32-year-old, then, will be getting a world-class player still at the very top of her game - and the identity of that side looks set to be revealed this week.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Putellas 'must resolve her situation this week', with clubs in the NWSL looking to finalise a deal as soon as possible. The U.S. top-flight is currently paused for a month and set to resume on July 16, with tight deadlines in place before that point. A second pre-season will begin in early July, so as soon as next week for some clubs, meaning those in the NWSL looking to sign Putellas are eager to get an answer quickly.

As per the report, the interested parties in the U.S. who are 'best positioned' to sign the midfielder are Boston Legacy and Gotham. The latter, who have been linked with a move for Sam Kerr in recent days too, are the reigning NWSL champions and currently sit fifth in the standings with just over a third of the regular season gone, firmly in a play-off place. Boston, meanwhile, are having a trickier year, in their first season in the NWSL. The team, who have one Barcelona product in the squad in 22-year-old Alba Cano, are third-from-bottom with nine points from their first 12 games.

Both clubs are pushing for a final decision from Putellas, as the NWSL's return nears.

There is also, according to Mundo Deportivo, interest from another London club, 'such as Arsenal or Chelsea'. The report doesn't specify which of the pair it is from but it does say that the offer is 'lucrative'.

Both clubs need to reinforce the midfield area this summer, with Arsenal linked with several players in order to do that, including England international Georgia Stanway and Eintracht Frankfurt star Geraldine Reuteler. Transfer rumours are quieter where it relates to Chelsea, who are also still to communicate renewals for several players out-of-contract this summer.

However, it has been repeatedly reported that Putellas does not want to join a club that could be a direct rival of Barcelona. Arsenal and Chelsea have both played the Catalans in recent years and could do so again this coming season, in the Champions League.

It is London City Lionesses, the club that just signed Mary Earps and is being linked with former Barca star Mapi Leon, who remain the front-runner for Putellas' signature. Owned by billionaire Michele Kang, who also owns eight-time European champions Lyon and NWSL giants Washington Spirit, the club has been heavily-linked with a move for the midfielder for a long time now. Indeed, the Guardian reported this month that Putellas has actually agreed terms with the London side.

London City were only promoted to the Women's Super League last year and finished sixth in their first season in the top-flight, so outside the Champions League places, meaning a clash with Barca is off the cards. If the club was to get into those European spots, it seems unlikely that they could compete in the UWCL too, because of Lyon's involvement in the competition.

Mundo Deportivo also notes that a move to the U.S. would involve Putellas moving further away from her family, another factor which could play a role in her staying in Europe and instead moving to England. Regardless, it is expected that the 32-year-old will settle her future 'within a matter of days'.