Barcelona star Aitana Bonmati refuses to rule out WSL move and speaks highly of English football | Football News

Aitana Bonmati has refused to rule out a move to the WSL despite signing a new long-term contract with Barcelona.

The Ballon d’Or winner has recently put pen-to-paper on a bumper four-year deal with Barca, the club she has played for since 2012 when she joined as a youth player.

While the prospect of being a one-club player is appealing to her, Bonmati, 26, insisted the lure of the English league is an attractive one.

Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports News at the EA FC25 launch in Madrid, she said: “Yes, that would be nice to be a one-club player.

“For now, I’ve been playing for Barcelona since I was 13 years old. It would be nice if I could end my career like this… but you never know.

“I’d never close the door. You never know what might happen in the future. But for now, I’m here for four more years, so I want to enjoy.

“[The WSL] is a league that is so nice because England are investing a lot in women’s football since the Euros – I cannot say the same about here in Spain.

“Of course, it’s a league that we have to keep watching, to be like them for helping women’s football grow.”

Players in the top tier of women’s football in Spain have ended a strike after reaching an agreement over pay. The women’s game in Spain has been through a turbulent time in the past year.

Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish football federation, is due to stand trial for kissing a female player after Spain won the Women’s World Cup.

The 46-year-old kissed Bonmati’s teammate Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s 1-0 win over England last August in Sydney – sparking outrage across the football world.

Hermoso, 34, has testified in court that the kiss was not consensual. Rubiales faces one count of sexual assault and one of coercion for his alleged actions in the aftermath of the kiss.

In September last year, the first round of Liga F fixtures last weekend were postponed due to strike action over pay.

Liga F and the unions representing players eventually agreed to raise the minimum wage from £13,700 to £18,000 a year. It will increase to £20,200 by the 2025-26 season.

By comparison, analysis from the BBC in 2022 revealed that the average pay in the WSL was £47,000 per year – with salaries ranging from £20,000 to £250,000.

In England, many Premier League clubs have opened their home stadiums for some women’s games with Arsenal regularly seeing 60,000-capacity crowds – setting a record on February 17 with 61,160 at their match against Manchester United Women.

It’s for all these reasons that Bonmati feels England is leading the way for progression and growth in the women’s game.

She said: I would say that England is an example off the field. Barca as a club is the same, but I would say England as a country.

“They won the Euros and took this as an opportunity to invest and help to grow women’s football. And they are doing things so good – they are putting a lot of people in the stadiums.

“They are opening their (men’s teams’) stadiums every single week – this is so nice.

“Also, they are investing in brands, publicity and marketing. They are an example for everything.”

Recognition and publicity for women’s football is growing. Bonmati was speaking at the launch of the FC25 game, which features women’s teams.

In fact, the Spain international is the third-best player in the whole game with a rating of 91 – just below Kylian Mbappe and Rodri, but above Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham.

Bonmati believes the promotion of women’s football on such a popular platform is “important” in the growth of the game.

She said: “I think it’s important to women’s teams in the game because it’s a game that a lot of people play. And a lot of people know us from the game.

“It’s important and we have to say thanks to EA Sports to involve the women’s football because it is a great game to show women’s football.

“My ratings are not bad! I think because I am short player my defending is not so well. I don’t agree with that – but the other (ratings) are so good.”

Next year, Bonmati and Spain will be looking to become European champions at the Women’s Euros in Switzerland. But she knows they will face stiff competition from the reigning champions England.

She added: “England and Spain are two of the most important teams of course but these kinds of tournaments are so difficult to win with a lot of games, so we will see.”