This week we focus on the U.S., with a top Spanish international joining the Utah Royals and a veteran of the Swedish league joining North Carolina Courage; we also look at the U.S. women's national team roster for their European friendlies this month (along with the rosters of both opponents—France and Spain). Next week will continue to focus on the NWSL, with more coaching news, player movements and the results and analysis of the 2019 NWSL College Draft.

Veronica Boquete joins the Utah Royals

Spanish international forward Veronica (Vero) Boquete signed with the Utah Royals for the 2019 NWSL season. Boquete has played in China, France, Russia, Spain and Sweden. She won the Golden Boot in her home country in 2010-11, with 41 goals in 29 matches at RCD Espanol de Barcelona. She won championships in Spain, Sweden and Germany as well as the UEFA Women's Club Championship with FFC Frankfurt in 2014-15. On the international side, she captained Spain at the 2013 UEFA Women's European Championship and the 2015 Women's World Cup in Canada. She has not played with the national side since the 2017 Algarve Cup, missing the 2017 EUROs and 2019 Women's World Cup qualifiers in a dispute with the previous coaching staff.

Boquete is well-known to followers of the game in the U.S., having played for the Chicago Red Stars and Philadelphia Independence in the WPS in 2010 and 2011, winning the Player of the Year award in the latter season with Philadelphia (coached by current North Carolina coach Paul Riley), the last campaign for the league. She played in the second half of the season for Portland Thorns in the NWSL in 2014.

Boquete explained her move back to the NWSL:"I wanted a new challenge in an ambitious club. There is nothing better than Utah Royals FC and the NWSL. I am happy to be back in the U.S. and I am grateful for the trust of Utah Royals FC. I can't wait to start the season and fight for our goals. Great club, team, fantastic fans, and a world class coach. I am looking forward to meeting my teammates and to work with Laura." Royalshead coach Laura Harvey (ex-Arsenal and Seattle Reign) was happy to bring her in from Beijing BG Phoenix in China: "We are really happy to bring Vero to Utah. She is a proven talent that knows what it takes to play in the NWSL. Her commitment to wanting the best is unbelievable and once we started speaking about the possibility of bringing her to the club, that level of professionalism shined through. Vero is a player I have admired for a number of years and I am glad we can finally work together. She is a proven goal-scorer, play-maker, and can play anywhere in the midfield or the frontline."

Harvey spent time with Boquete when she was scouting the recent U-17 WWC in Uruguay and Boquete was working for FIFA. Boquete may have some more duties for FIFA during the Women's World Cup this summer, but should miss less time than if she were still involved in the Spanish National Team setup.

Swedish international Julie Spetsmark joins the North Carolina Courage

The 2018 NWSL Champions North Carolina Courage has signed Swedish international midfielder Julia Spetsmark. Spetsmark began playing in Sweden's Damallsvenskan when she was 17 at Mallbackens IF and has appeared in over 100 matches since 2006. She also played with QBIK, Sunnana and with KIF Orebro from 2014-2017, where she scored 12 goals during that spell, 6 of which came in 2017. She took a short break from the Swedish league to play for Manchester City Women in the FA WSL, where she played three games with the team. She returned to Sweden and Stockholm side Djurgarden after the summer break, making 11 appearances and scoring 6 times. She played internationally for the U-17s and at the full national team level for Sweden since 2016, including one appearance at the UEFA Women's Championship in 2017. Head Coach Paul Riley said: "Julia fits our profile for an attacking player. Skillful, pacey, excellent 1-on-1 ability, crafty and relentless [on] both sides of the ball. It's a tremendous opportunity for Julia and we believe this will be key in her establishing herself as an invaluable piece on the Swedish National team. [I'm] excited to add her to all the other key attacking pieces we have."

Jill Ellis Names 27 Player Squad for Portugal Training Camp and Games in France and Spain this month

Jill Ellis named 27 players for the U.S. women's national team trip to Portugal for a week of training before friendly matches against France on January 19 in Le Havre and Spain on January 22 in Alicante.

The squad is entirely NWSL based, except for two college defenders, Tierna Davidson of Stanford and Emily Fox of the University of North Carolina. Chicago Red Stars and the North Carolina Courage lead the NWSL in players called into the team with 5 each, followed by the Portland Thorns with 4, Utah Royals and Washington Spirit with 3 each, Orlando Pride with 2 and Houston Dash, Seattle Reign and Sky Blue FC all with a sole representative. Danielle Colaprico is currently on loan to Sydney FC in the Westfield W-League.

U.S. WNT Roster by Position - January Camp 2019 (Caps/Goals):

GOALKEEPERS (4): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 3/0), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 19/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 38/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 30/0), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; 12/1), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 75/24), Emily Fox (UNC; 2/0), Kelley O'Hara (Utah Royals FC; 112/2), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 149/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 27/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 26/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Morgan Brian (Chicago Red Stars; 81/6), Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars; 2/0), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 73/18), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 62/7), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 20/6), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 41/8), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 11/0), McCall Zerboni (NC Courage; 7/0)
FORWARDS (7): Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 142/25), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC; 265/105), Jessica McDonald (NC Courage; 3/1), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride;153/98), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 106/46), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit; 43/12), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC; 145/41).

For the French team against the U.S., head coach Corinne Diacre is using a team with two based in Spain and one in England at Arsenal, while the others are all home based, with a half-dozen coming from reigning champions Olympique Lyon:

Goalkeepers:

SARAH BOUHADDI – Olympique Lyonnais

SOLÈNE DURAND – EA de Guingamp

PAULINE PEYRAUD-MAGNIN – Arsenal FC (England)

Defenders:

JULIE DEBEVER – EA de Guingamp

SAKINA KARCHAOUI – Montpellier HSC

CHARLOTTE LORGERE – EA de Guingamp

AMEL MAJRI – Olympique Lyonnais

ÈVE PERISSET – Paris Saint-Germain FC

WENDIE RENARD – Olympique Lyonnais

MARION TORRENT – Montpellier HSC

AÏSSATOU TOUNKARA – Atlético de Madrid (Spain)

Midfielders:

CHARLOTTE BILBAULT – Paris FC

ELISE BUSSAGLIA – FC Barcelona (Spain)

ONEMA GRACE GEYORO – Paris Saint-Germain FC

AMANDINE HENRY – Olympique Lyonnais

Forwards:

VIVIANE ASSEYI – FC Girondins of Bordeaux

DELPHINE CASCARINO – Olympique Lyonnais

KENZA DALI – Dijon FCO

KADIDIATOU DIANI – Paris Saint-Germain FC

VALÉRIE GAUVIN – Montpellier HSC

MARIE-ANTOINETTE KATOTO – Paris Saint-Germain FC

EUGÉNIE LE SOMMER – Olympique Lyonnais

GAËTANE THINEY – Paris FC

Spain's national women's team head coach Jorge Vilda named the squad for the U.S. game on January 22, as well as an earlier game against Belgium in Cartagonova on January 17. The side will have two players based in France and one in the U.S., with the rest home based including 10 from Barcelona and 6 from Atletico Madrid. The squad is as follows:

FC BARCELONA

Sandra Paños
Marta Torrejón
Mapi León
Andrea Pereira
Leila Ouahabi
Alexia Putellas
Patricia Guijarro

Vicky Losada
Aitana Bonmatí
Mariona Caldentey

ATLETICO MADRID

Lola Gallardo
Silvia Meseguer
Ángela Sosa
Andrea Sánchez Falcón
Jenni Hermoso
Amanda Sampedro

REAL SOCIEDAD

Sun Quinones

Nahikari Garcia

LEVANTE UD

Ivana Andrés
Marta Corredera

FUNDACION ALBACETE

Alba Redondo

ATHLETIC CLUB

Lucia Garcia

PARIS ST. GERMAIN (FRANCE)

Irene Paredes

MONTPELLIER HSC (FRANCE)

Virginia Torrecilla

SETTLE REIGN (USA)

Celia Jimenez

Note: Next week this column will continue to focus on the NWSL, with more coaching news, player movements and the results and analysis of the 2019 NWSL College Draft.

Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women's football. Get your copy today.

Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey