London City Lionesses have confirmed the signing of France international Kadidiatou Diani from sister club OL Lyonnes in a controversial three-year deal.
In a first for Michele Kang's multi-club ownership since purchasing London City in December 2024, a high-profile player has made the switch from her longstanding venture at Lyonnes to her most recent acquisition in London.
The 31-year-old spent six years at Paris Saint-Germain before moving to French rivals Lyonnes in 2023, where she won a plethora of domestic titles and reached several Champions League finals.
"It's an independent club and very ambitious," Diani told club media. "It's something which is quite rare in women's football and something I believe in a lot.
"We don't necessarily need to depend on a men's club to compete at the highest level, win titles and have a lot of success. I believe in the project."
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The move has been met with backlash following the transfer from one of Kang's clubs to the another, strengthening her Women's Super League (WSL) side at the expense of Lyonnes.
The move bolsters the team even further following the additions of Alexia Putellas and Mapi León from Barcelona and Mary Earps from PSG.