City goalkeeper announces new club & says "It was the perfect time to come" as she continues her recovery

Manchester City's Ellie Roebuck will no longer be a member of the Women's Super League club next season as the goalkeeper joins European Champions Barcelona.

Last month, it was announced by Manchester City themselves that Roebuck would be moving on from the club and was set to start a new journey with a new club.

When her exit was announced, Ellie said in her farewell speech to the club and its fans, "I'm obviously excited for a new challenge, but I'm pretty sad. It's going to be really different and strange come next season."

"For me, it just feels like the right time personally, not just football-wise, but to take that next step and have a bit of a lifestyle change. (I want) go and learn something new and experience something different."

This year, reports emerged suggesting that Ellie suffered a stroke; therefore, her comments surrounding a change and experiencing a new lifestyle come as no surprise and are very understandable.

Now, Barcelona have confirmed to fans that Roebuck has signed a two-year deal with the club, attaching her to the Catalan side until 2026.

The 24-year-old welcomed her new team, as she told "I am very happy to be here. You could say that now everything has fallen into place; it was the perfect time to come. I'm grateful for the opportunity."

The Lionesse will have a big responsibility ahead of her, as it does seem she will be Barcelona's number one starting keeper as of next season, as Sandra Panos has departed the club, meaning her now-former role is available for Roebuck to attain when the club campaign arrives.

Barcelona have been producing incredible seasons one after the other to become one the most successful teams in Women's football history, winning five League titles in a row, four Copa de la Reina trophies (also in a row), and then three UEFA Champions League honours in the space of four years.

As for Manchester City, Ellie's leaving won't come as a huge issue to manager Gareth Taylor, as it has been Khiara Keating, who has been City's protector in goal.

Kheating displayed a highly respectable performance throughout the season, helping the Cityzens come ever-so-close to winning the Women's Super League title but disappointingly losing out to Chelsea on the final day, despite having equal points as the Blues, Chelsea's 6-0 victory over rivals Manchester United was the difference that made City finish the season as runners up.