Manchester City Football Club are pleased to announce the signing of Venezuelan international Deyna Castellanos on a three-year deal subject to international approval.
An incredibly exciting young talent, the 23-year-old will officially join the club on July 1 following the conclusion of her current contract with Spanish Atletico Madrid.
Born in Maracay, Venezuela, the striker spent the formative years of her career with Escuela de Futbol Juan Arango in her home country before moving to the United States in 2016 to study, where she spent three years playing for the Florida State Seminoles.
Her goal-scoring record in Sunshine State – 48 appearances in 82 appearances – caught the attention of many, including FIFA, who shortlisted her in the last three nominees for the 2017 FIFA Best Female Player Award along with Carli Lloyd and Lieke Martens.
In 2020, however, she got her first professional contract in the match with Atletico Madrid, and over two and a half seasons with the Spanish team, she played UEFA Women’s Champions League football and found the back of the net 23 times in 58 excursions.
She also played a key role in the team’s Supercopa de Espana Femenina success in 2020-21 and helped the team to a fourth place finish in 2021-22.
On the international stage, Castellanos began representing his country at the age of 14 and won the golden boot when the team finished in fourth place in the 2014 U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup and secured a number of other accolades during its time in their youth ranks. .
She was called up by their U20 team in January 2018 and impressed in the South American U20 women’s football championships and was quickly tracked to their senior lineup just three months later, scoring on her debut against Ecuador in the Copa America Femenina.
With four times in an 8-0 win over Bolivia a few days later, Castellanos was named captain of the national team in 2021 and has had that cloak ever since.
Speaking about her move, she said: “I’m very happy to be a Manchester City player – it’s a big move for myself in my career and I can not wait for it to begin.
“When you look around at all the facilities here, it’s just fantastic – I believe this club will help me improve as a player and I hope I can help Manchester City too.
– The football style that the team plays was very attractive to me, and I feel that I can fit in really well here, while at the same time being challenged to develop and grow.
“I also chose the No. 10 jersey when I played with that number in college and scored some amazing goals wearing it, so hopefully I will be able to create many more great memories with it here in the City.”
Head coach Gareth Taylor added: “We are thrilled to have Deyna on board – she is a player we have admired for a long time and we are so happy that we have finally been able to bring her to the club.
“She is an incredibly exciting player, and her inclusion on FIFA’s best shortlist as an 18 – year – old says a lot about her influence on the game at such a young age and what talent she is.
“She has a real hunger and a desire to have great success on the pitch, and we are very much looking forward to working with her in the years to come.”
