France forward Delphine Cascarino has joined London City Lionesses on a three-and-a-half-year deal after leaving San Diego Wave.
Cascarino agreed to terminate her contract with the Wave on Sunday - the National Women's Soccer League club saying that she wanted to be closer to home.
The 28-year-old had signed for the Wave in 2024, having spent her entire senior career up to that point with Lyon, where she had won the Women's Champions League six times, in addition to nine French league titles.
Cascarino has played 86 times for France, helping them reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic football tournament at Paris 2024, and the last eight again at Euro 2025 - providing an assist in each of their group stage wins over England and the Netherlands.
Cascarino said: "England - for men and women - is the country of football. It's always been a goal of mine to play in this league.
"I want to play in the Champions League here at London City and win many trophies."
London City Lionesses, playing in the Women's Super League for the first time this season, are currently seventh.
Head coach Eder Maestre added: "I'm so excited with this signing. I really think she is one of the most exciting forwards I have seen. She is a dribbler who can take on players in one-vs-one situations, and she will be very powerful on the wing.
"Everybody can see how good she is when she plays and I want that warrior-like and winning mentality off the pitch too, to help us reach our goals.
"She has won six Champions Leagues, so she has the ambitions and the knowhow to win, on and off the pitch."
Emma Sanders, BBC Sport women’s football news reporter
Cascarino’s arrival at London City is big news given she brings a wealth of Champions League experience and international pedigree.
Last summer, the club spent fruitfully, bringing in 16 players in one transfer window as they tried to build a squad to compete in the WSL.
It was done at such a pace that this month needed a change in approach - to trim the squad and be more strategic in the way they recruited.
They have been searching for the best young players for the future, mixed with experienced stars with a history of winning that can improve the team now. Cascarino is an example of the latter.
She is well known to the Kynisca company running London City with her former club Lyon also under their ownership.
London City have been pursuing Cascarino for several months, initially in the summer, before deciding to wait until January when a clause in her San Diego contract allowed her to return to Europe on a free deal following a mutual termination of her contract in the United States.
Discussions with some players London City hope to sign in the summer are taking place but they may still add one or two in this window.
Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed

13 hours ago
3

















































