Manchester City have staged a coup in women’s football by signing the American Carli Lloyd, a two-times world player of the year, on a short-term deal from Houston Dash.

The 34-year-old, a World Cup winner and double Olympic gold medallist, joins Nick Cushing’s Women’s Super League champions and will stay until the end of the Spring Series and play in the FA Women’s Cup and Women’s Champions League campaign.

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The women’s Super League Spring Series runs until May, and the Champions League final is on 1 June. Manchester City have advanced to the quarter-final of the tournament. Once the Spring Series has concluded and City have finished with the Champions League, Lloyd will return to Houston.

She told CityTV: “I’m thrilled to be here and I’m looking forward to starting up and meeting team-mates. 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.

“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. It’s an unbelievable opportunity to be able to compete in the Spring Series, the FA Cup and most importantly, the Champions League.

“I wouldn’t have that opportunity if I didn’t come over here. I’m really looking forward to it – I want to continue to get better and I’m going to be playing with some real world-class players.

“Seeing the facilities and the organisation and dealing with Nick Cushing, [I’ve found] 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. It’s going to be awesome and I’m thrilled to take on the challenge of winning and doing really well.”