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BARCELONA – Ballon d’Or Feminin holder Aitana Bonmati has signed a new deal with Barcelona on Sept 16 until 2028, which reportedly would make her the highest-paid female footballer. The Spanish playmaker, 26, scored in the Champions League final last season as she led the dominant Catalan giants to a sensational quadruple. “The best player in the world is thus staying at a winning club. Now that she has been confirmed as staying until 2028, that leaves plenty of time for her to collect more silverware and to help further establish Barca’s place at the peak of the women’s game,” Barcelona said in a statement. Salaries in women’s football are not public, but sources told ESPN the highest earners in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League and the Women’s Super League in England earn between €400,000 (S$576,230) and €600,000, annually. Bonmati’s deal will reportedly surpass those figures. Spanish outlet La Tribuna has intimated the midfielder’s new deal could be worth between €750,000 and €1 million annually. Bonmati’s contract had been set to run out at the end of the 2024-25 season, with several clubs showing interest in her services. Last week, her agent Cristian Martin said Chelsea were prepared to trigger the €3 million release clause in her previous contract. Bonmati has 96 goals for Barcelona in 275 games and is the joint-record Champions League goalscorer with 22, tied with teammate and two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas. Also a World Cup winner with Spain in 2023, Bonmati came through the Barcelona youth academy after joining the club in 2011. Meanwhile, Tom Sermanni will take charge of the Australian women’s team for a third time after being appointed interim coach in the wake of Tony Gustavsson’s departure. Sermanni, the Matildas’ longest-serving coach, previously guided the team from 1994 to 1997 and from 2005 to 2012, helping them reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time in China in 2007. The 70-year-old takes over the World Cup semi-finalists, who are at a low after crashing out of the group stage at the Paris Olympics. Governing body Football Australia said he would start the role immediately and be in charge of the team against Germany in an away friendly on Oct 28. “It’s an honour to return to the Matildas, even in this interim capacity,” Sermanni said in a statement on Sept 16. “I’m looking forward to working with this talented group of players and helping to ensure a smooth transition as Football Australia continues its search for a permanent head coach.” The coach of the powerful United States women’s team from 2013 to 2014, Sermanni’s last international role was with New Zealand from 2018 to 2021. AFP, REUTERS