Another Lioness in Barcelona?! England star Ella Toone attracting interest from European champions – but bumper fee would be needed to sign her from Man Utd

Toone has spent the last six years with the Red Devils and has been a key player in their rise from the second-tier to the upper echelons of the Women’s Super League table. The 24-year-old was part of the squad that won promotion to the top-flight in 2019 and, in a fitting manner, she scored the opening goal in the FA Cup final earlier this month as they won their first major trophy.

She has had some incredible moments with England in that time too, scoring in the final of the Lionesses’ Women’s Euros triumph in 2022 as well as in the 2023 Women’s World Cup semi-finals, and those exploits appear to have caught the eye of Barcelona. According to the Daily Mail, the Catalans are interested in signing Toone this summer, though no formal approach has been made yet. Barca already have two England stars on their books, in Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh, and are set to add another in Ellie Roebuck this summer.

Toone signed a new contract with United during the 2022-23 season, tying her to the club until the summer of 2026. As a result, Barca would have to pay a significant fee to prize her away from the English club and they would also need to weigh up the logistics of any deal when it comes to meeting financial regulations, as they are currently in the process of a bumper renewal for Alexia Putellas which could possibly force them to hold back on a new deal for Bronze.

There is still one more game on the calendar for United this season, at Old Trafford against title-chasing Chelsea. Whether that will be Toone’s final match for the club or not, only time will tell.