Ellie Roebuck hails ‘perfect’ Barcelona move after Catalan giants sign the ex-Manchester City ace on a two-year deal
ELLIE ROEBUCK reckons her switch to Barcelona has come at a perfect time after sealing a move to the Catalan giants.
The ex-Manchester City goalkeeper, 24, has joined the club as a free agent on a contract running until June 2026.
Roebuck’s move, following her May departure from Man City, has seen her become the third Lioness to join the nine-time champions of Spain’s top-flight since 2022.
Two years ago the Catalan giants signed her fellow ex-City aces Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh.
And Roebuck’s switch comes three months after the Sheffield-born England star opened up on being the “on the road to recovery” from a stroke.
Of her Barca move, Roebuck, who made 100 Cityzens appearances, said: “I want to go private and live a new experience.
“There’s no better place to do it than here, so I’m grateful for the opportunity.
“I like to play with the ball at my feet and this is the perfect team to do that.
“They like to have possession and play from the back, so I hope to bring my style.
“I am very excited. I had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. I am very happy to be here.
“You could say that now everything has fallen into place, it was the perfect time to come.”
Roebuck moved to Man City from Sheffield United’s Centre of Excellence in 2015 before signing her first professional deal with the Cityzens three years later.
The 2019-20 season saw her keep ten clean sheets in 16 Women’s Super League games, winning the WSL’s inaugural Golden Glove award.
Four years ago, the player who has won three FA Cups and three League Cups and a WSL title, was shortlisted for Fifa’s Best Women’s goalkeeper gong.
However last season Roebuck did not feature in any top-flight games for City with teenage shot stopper Khiara Keating impressing for the side.
And in March the goalkeeper revealed she had suffered a type of stroke known as a left occipital infarct, but had no lasting damage to her brain or vision.
Back then, she said: “Life can throw unexpected challenges at you.
“If this year has taught me anything, it’s that I’m strong and will give it all I’ve got for the thing I love most.”
Roebuck’s Barcelona switch comes 11 days after the departure of the team’s former first-choice goalkeeper Sandra Panos.
It also comes month after the Liga F giants won the Women’s Champions League for the third time in their history with a 2-0 victory against French juggernauts Lyon.
Roebuck’s move will see her compete for game time with goalkeepers Cata Coll and Gemma Font.
Majorca-born shot-stopper Coll was part of the Spain side that beat England in the final of last year’s Women’s World Cup.
Roebuck was part of the Lionesses squad that won the 2022 Euros and reached the Women’s World Cup final last summer.
And the former City ace, who has kept six clean sheets for England, hopes to get back into contention for international call-ups.
In April, the 11-capped goalkeeper said: “To be a part of the squad that won (the Euros) was incredible.
“To do that back-to-back would just be a dream.
“My perception on life has taken a massive shift and this is something I’d be grateful to be a part of again.”