FC Barcelona keeps making important changes to its squad ahead of next season. The economic situation and LaLiga's "fair play" are also affecting Women's Barça. This has led to some unexpected departures, something other teams in Spain are taking advantage of. One of them is Espanyol, which has signed one of the most promising academy players in recent years: Ona Baradad.
Surprisingly, Espanyol has announced the signing of Ona Baradad as a free agent. At 21 years old, she has left Barça to join the other club in the city.
Espanyol confirms its signing
"RCD Espanyol has finalized the signing of forward Ona Baradad (Lleida, 04/16/2004). The player has signed for one season, with another optional year based on achieving objectives.
Ona arrives at the club from FC Barcelona B, where she made her debut with the first team. Before that, she played for SE AEM. In addition, she has been an international with the youth categories of the Spanish national team, becoming U-19 European champion.
Welcome, Ona!"
Ona Baradad, trained at La Masia
At 21 years old, Ona Baradad represents one of the most interesting prospects in Catalan women's soccer. Trained at La Masia, the forward has grown under the demands and style of FC Barcelona... where she developed in the youth ranks, showing a remarkable goal-scoring ability and a natural talent for attacking spaces.
However, as happens to many young players who come up through elite academies, the lack of opportunities in Barça's first team has slowed her progress. In a squad full of stars and with fierce competition in the attacking line, she has barely been able to show all her potential at the highest level.
In search of playing time and growth, the footballer from Balaguer has made a brave decision: to leave the club of her life to start a new chapter at RCD Espanyol. A change of scenery that could be key for her development and allows her to keep competing in a familiar environment with a project where she can play a leading role.
A quick forward, intelligent in her movement off the ball and with great intuition in the box, Ona Baradad stands out for her mobility and goal-scoring instinct. She is a direct, determined footballer with character, qualities not always seen at such a young age. Her ability to adapt to different attacking positions is also a valuable asset for any coach.
After her time at La Masia, she now leaves to wear Espanyol's jersey...