Chelsea have signed 20-year-old Spanish youth international midfielder Julia Bartel from Barcelona until summer 2027, with the option of a further year.
She played for Barcelona since 2019 and has captained both club and country, winning the Spanish second division with the B team last season.
When Spain won the U-20 World Cup in 2022, she was named in the team of the tournament and also helped her country to success at the UEFA U-19 Euros last summer.
Bartel told chelseafc.com: ‘I am very happy to be here at Chelsea. It’s one of the biggest clubs in Europe and I am very excited to be part of this club.’
General manager Paul Green added: ‘Julia is a top young player, who is technically excellent and has good pedigree coming through at Barcelona and the Spanish international youth teams.
‘She has good leadership skills for someone at a young age and we look forward to seeing her develop in the upcoming years.’
