Brazil forward Kerolin Nicoli in Catalonia as Barcelona switch nears completion

Kerolin Nicoli has arrived in Barcelona to complete the final formalities of her move to the Barcelona women’s team after several weeks of complex negotiations with Manchester City.

The 26-year-old Brazil international flew in from Sao Paulo early on Tuesday and is due to undergo a medical examination in the coming hours before signing her new contract with the Catalan club.

Nicoli’s arrival was witnessed by Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo, which reported that the forward landed shortly before 10:00 local time after a journey of about 10 hours from Brazil.

Her arrival brings to an end a lengthy period of uncertainty in her home country, where she had been waiting for confirmation that the transfer could be completed.

Negotiations between Barcelona and Manchester City had continued for several weeks, with the process delayed by a document that the English club was required to send. That hold-up prolonged the transfer and left Nicoli waiting for the final details to be resolved before travelling to Spain.

The medical will be the next significant stage of the move. If it is completed successfully, Nicoli will then formally put pen to paper on her agreement with Barcelona, marking the next step in her professional career.

The forward appeared excited and happy about beginning the new chapter. Before even completing the official stages of the transfer, she offered a visible indication of her early connection with Barcelona and its supporters through a specially chosen hairstyle.

Nicoli had braided her hair into the shape of a heart on one side, using the club’s familiar blue and garnet colours. The design served as a clear symbolic gesture towards Barcelona as she prepared to begin life with the club.

Her move is expected to strengthen Barcelona’s women’s attack, with the forward bringing considerable international experience as well as the knowledge gained during her spell with Manchester City and her career with the Brazil national team.

The transfer follows an extended back-and-forth between the two clubs, but Nicoli’s arrival in Catalonia means the deal has now reached its final formal stages. Her medical and the subsequent signing of the contract are expected to complete the move.

For Nicoli, the trip from Sao Paulo to Barcelona represented the end of the waiting period surrounding the transfer and the start of a new phase in her career. The forward can now focus on completing the required procedures before officially joining the Catalan side.