West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of World Cup winner Laia Codina.
The Spain international has penned a three-year contract at the Club following her departure from fellow Barclays Women’s Super League side Arsenal.
The 26-year-old made 58 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners and helped them win the UEFA Women’s Champions League and Women’s League Cup during her three seasons in north London.
Trophies were something Codina also won in her native Spain with Barcelona, where she lifted seven pieces of silverware, including three league titles and two UEFA Women’s Champions Leagues.
The experienced centre-back also played an integral role in Spain winning the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as she started all four of her side’s knockout matches - including the showpiece against England - and scored in their round-of-16 tie against Switzerland.
Codina expressed her delight to have signed for the Hammers and she is looking forward to getting started when the team return for pre-season.
“I’m so happy to be joining West Ham United,” she said. “West Ham is a great Club and you can see the growth within the team over the last few years. I know Rita from her time in Italy and when we spoke, I was really excited by this project.
“I hope to bring my experience both on and off the pitch. Coming through the Barcelona Academy helped develop my composure and my decision-making, and I pride myself on my professionalism and work ethic every day. I want to help the players around me and contribute to the team in any way that I can.
“I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far in my career but I’m really excited for what’s ahead. I’m looking forward to meeting the team and I feel ready for this new chapter in east London.”
Campllong-born Codina joined Spanish giants Barcelona at 14 years old and shone as she progressed through their youth ranks, before going on to become a first-team regular in 2020/21 when her side clinched the Liga F title and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Following a season-long loan at AC Milan, where she came up against Rita Guarino’s Inter Milan team, the 2022/23 campaign brought about more success for Codina as Barcelona won the league, UEFA Women’s Champions League and Supercopa Femenina.
Her trophy-laden stint at Barcelona came to a conclusion in August 2023, following Spain’s FIFA Women’s World Cup success, when she signed for Arsenal. And the silverware continued to flow for Codina in north London as she helped the Gunners lift the Women’s League Cup in 2024 and the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2025, as well as the inaugural 2026 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
Speaking on Codina’s arrival, Head Coach Guarino said: “We’re delighted to welcome a player of Laia’s quality to West Ham United.
“To have won both the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Women’s Champions League is an outstanding achievement. She is a proven winner, and that mentality and experience will be a huge asset to this group. Laia is an aggressive defender who is comfortable dictating play from the back line, while her communication and leadership on the pitch are real strengths of her game.
“We’re excited to work with Laia and believe she has all the qualities needed to thrive in a West Ham United shirt.”
