Manchester City have announced the signing of The Best FIFA Women’s Player 2016 Carli Lloyd.

The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup™ and two-time Women’s Olympic Football Tournament winner completed her move to the reigning English Women’s Super League champions from Houston Dash on Wednesday.

The USA co-captain will be with the team until the end of the WSL Spring Series and will also feature in the UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign.

Lloyd’s switch to the Women’s Super League sees the midfielder follow in the footsteps of fellow Americans Heather O’Reilly and Crystal Dunn, who completed moves ahead of the new English domestic campaign to Arsenal and Chelsea respectively.

Manchester City will begin their Women’s Super League title defence at home to Chelsea on 23 April and face Danish side Fortuna Hjorring in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on 23 March.

“This is a unique opportunity and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of the club here in Manchester. I’m looking forward to kicking off," said Lloyd. “I’m always looking for different challenges. I always want to continue to get better and look for ways where I am going to be able to push my game. Coming here and being part of City is going to do that.

“Seeing the facilities and the organisation and dealing with Nick Cushing, there’s just a great philosophy in place. When you add in Champions League and all of these other unbelievable events, it’s hard not to want to come. It’s an incredible, professional environment. Just being here for a short stint has been unbelievable. They’ve set the bar high."

Founded in 1988, as Manchester City Ladies, the club launched the newly-renamed Manchester City Women's Football Club in January 2014. The Blues have since gone on to win the FA WSL 1 title in 2016, as well as claiming two FA WSL Continental Cups.