For those who don't watch Barcelona regularly but tuned in for the first leg of their Women's Champions League semi-final clash with Chelsea last weekend, it might've been a surprise to see Lucy Bronze on the bench. The England star has been one of the best full-backs on the planet for several years and has an incredible wealth of winning experience, including four European titles. But her place among the substitutes was a reminder that her future at Barca remains unclear.
Bronze is out of contract this summer and there is a genuine possibility that, as she bids to help the Catalans overturn a 1-0 deficit to reach another Champions League final, this season could be her last not just with Barca, but in Europe's premier competition. That’s because the 32-year-old doesn’t have much unfinished business on a continent that she has conquered four times at club level and once with the Lionesses. Indeed, the only club competition she’s played in and not yet won is the Copa de la Reina, which Barca will play the final of next month.
So, as Bronze enters the final weeks of her current deal, a new challenge could be on the horizon and there is one option in particular that, if she does leave Catalunya, feels particularly appealing...