If the NWSL wants its true Galáctico moment, this could be it. Not another Brazilian winger or Mexican superstar, not another U.S. women’s national team veteran in a video holding a scarf in front of a skyline, but two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas walking into an American stadium like she owns the place. That move is no longer an EA Sports FC fantasy. Days after winning another UEFA Women’s Champions League title, Putellas announced she is leaving FC Barcelona Femení after 14 years. Now, the question is whether she will come to the NWSL. Thanks to the league’s new High Impact Player rule, also known as the “Rodman Rule,” a move for Putellas is suddenly less smoke and more of a profit and loss challenge for clubs. The rule, introduced by the NWSL last December amid fears of losing Trinity Rodman to Europe, allows clubs to exceed the salary cap by up to $1 million for marquee players who meet specific commercial and sporting criteria. Now, the question is who has the deepest pockets to sign her and lure her away from any European competitors who may be able to offer more. The Athletic explores this and which market could satisfy Putellas’ ambition to add more trophies to her collection. Boston Legacy is one of two expansion teams that joined the NWSL this year. (Winslow Townson / Getty Images)Boston LegacyIf Michele Kang doesn’t bring Putellas to the London City Lionesses and turbocharge the club ahead of its first WSL campaign, then Boston Legacy suddenly feels like the cleanest landing spot.The fit is almost suspiciously perfect: an ambitious expansion side desperate for a global face of the project, a Portuguese manager who wants her teams to dominate the ball, and former Barcelona executive, Domenec Guasch, already in the building as the club’s general manager. Plus, it is one of the few clubs in an urban setting with direct flights to Barcelona, and thanks to the league’s new High Impact Player (HIP) rule, has the financial flexibility to structure a deal for Putellas realistically. The Boston franchise assembled a surprisingly deep and international roster for their inaugural season, bringing players like Barbara Olivieri, Josefine Hasbo and Alba Caño (who made a brief appearance for Barcelona on loan last year). The team is capable of progressing the ball, but still in need of a game-controlling attacking midfielder, the kind of player who can dictate tempo, unlock defenses and consistently produce moments of magic in the final third against opposition. Alexia Putellas will add a game-changing impact in any midfield she joins. (Joan Valls / Getty Images)Putellas wouldn’t just improve Boston’s front line, she would also fundamentally define coach Filipa Patão’s high-press, ball-dominant style. Her ability to break lines and orchestrate possession is exactly the kind of midfield gravity this team needs to function at an elite level. More importantly, she is the sort of transformational signing that changes the conversation around a club overnight. Boston would no longer look like a smartly assembled expansion side with potential, but a legitimate title contender with global ambition. From a league perspective, the storyline writes itself. Putellas lining up against fellow Spanish star Esther González and Gotham FC would instantly pour gasoline on a Boston–New York rivalry the NWSL is so desperately trying to turn into a marquee derby.The fit, though, is where things could get interesting. At 32, Putellas may still prefer Europe’s Champions League ecosystem, especially with reported interest from England already heating up. The WSL side offers shorter travel, familiar prestige and Kang apparently collects elite women’s football assets the way she collects designer handbags — and plot twist if she loans Putellas to the Washington Spirit for much-needed drama in the NWSL.—Asli PelitGotham FC is a two-time NWSL Champion with ambitions to continue growing. (Brandon Vallance / Getty Images)Why would Gotham make a play for Putellas when they have – checks roster – some of the best attacking players in the world already? Let me explain.