Man City Women sign Venezuela striker Deyna Castellanos on three-year contract

Manchester City Women have signed Venezuela striker Deyna Castellanos on a three-year deal.

Venezuela captain Castellanos, 23, will officially join City on July 1 when her contract with Atletico Madrid expires.

Castellanos said: “I’m very happy to be a Manchester City player – it is a huge move for myself in my career and I can’t wait for it to begin.

“Looking around at all the facilities here, it is just amazing. I believe that this club will help to improve me as a player, and I hope that I can help Manchester City too.

“I have chosen the number 10 shirt too as I played with that number in college and scored some great goals wearing it, so hopefully I will be able to create many more good memories with it here at City.”

Born in Maracay, Venezuela, Castellanos moved to the United States in 2016 for university and spent three years with Florida State Seminoles, where she scored 48 goals in 82 appearances.

Castellanos, who won the FIFA Best Women’s Player of the Year award in 2017, aged just 18, scored 23 goals in 58 appearances for Atletico, who she joined in 2020, and has scored 12 goals in 25 appearances for Venezuela.

City head coach Gareth Taylor added: “We’re thrilled to have Deyna on board. She is a player we have admired for a long time and we’re so pleased that we have been able to finally bring her to the club.

“She is an incredibly exciting player and her inclusion in the FIFA Best shortlist at just 18 speaks volumes about her impact on the game at such a young age and what a talent she is.”