- Kerolin Nicoli has joined Man City from NWSL club North Carolina Courage
- She put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Manchester club
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Manchester City Women have announced the signing of 25-year-old Brazilian international Kerolin Nicoli.
The forward joins from NWSL club North Carolina Courage on a three-and-a-half year deal, keeping her at the Joie Stadium until the summer of 2028.
Kerolin, an Olympic silver medallist, joins City following a hugely successful spell in the States where she was named the first-ever South American NWSL Most Valuable Player in 2023, after helping the Courage to the Challenge Cup in 2022 and 2023.
She said: ‘I think there were a lot of reasons why I chose City and one of those was to play in the Champions League. Also, I want to try to become the best player in the world and I know here I can be better at soccer and learn how to play in England.
‘When I look at other countries the tournament is hard, but when I look to England everyone says this is the best place to be. To have more of a vision of the world, England is the best and to play in the Champions League is going to help so much.’
And, she added: ‘When I was viewing the warm-up at the derby (on Sunday), I was thinking this is crazy because I was looking at the players who were starting. I’m used to watching them in the Champions League or playing against them with my national team and they are so good.
25-year-old Brazilian star Kerolin Nicoli has joined Man City on a three-and-a-half-year deal
She joins a City side who lie fourth in the WSL, two points behind rivals Man United in third
‘I was like I couldn’t believe this is happening in my life and I just need to be grateful and ready to play with them and make history with this big Club.’
Nicoli will wear the number 14 shirt and becomes City’s third January signing following the arrival of Rebecca Knaak and Aemu Oyama.
Her signing is yet another encouraging sign of the ever-increasing attraction of the WSL.
Manchester City Women Director of Football Therese Sjogran added: ‘Kerolin comes to Manchester City with a wealth of experience under her belt at just 25 – as a fully-fledged international, an Olympian, and MVP – with a real desire and hunger to take her game to the next level.
‘Kerolin is creative, quick, and will add even more firepower to our forward line. We have a shared ambition to be the best not only in England but also in Europe, and we are delighted to have been able to bring her to Manchester.’
Kerolin will be a welcome addition to City’s squad who have been hampered by injury; they are still without Bunny Shaw, Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp, while Chloe Kelly has been linked with a loan move away from the club. Gareth Taylor expects top-scorer Shaw’s return to be ‘imminent’.
City will face Manchester United in the quarter-final of the Women’s League Cup tonight at Leigh Sports Village, kicking off at 7pm.
