Tottenham Hotspur Women midfielder Angharad James has departed on a permanent transfer to the Seattle Reign for an undisclosed fee.
This is an excellent move for Angharad professionally, as Seattle Reign need midfield cover following the departure of Emily Sonnett (here’s an excellent article describing what Angharad might bring to the Reign). Angharad previously played for North Carolina Courage and Orlando Pride in the NWSL, so she’ll be used to the league. She’ll also have a familiar face at the Reign in Welsh colleague (and former Reading teammate) Jess Fishlock.
Look, I never thought we’d receive a fee for Angharad. That’s an added bonus that should give a modest boost to transfer business in windows to come. But this move doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in the short term. Angharad has played nearly every minute for Spurs so far this season in several different positions. While not all those performances were stellar–her defensive work at right back still left a little bit to be desired–it was clear Vilahamn trusted her from the very beginning. Her departure leaves our squad depth looking really shaky in the center of the pitch (though to be fair, Vilahamn never really used her there). The transfer deadline is rapidly approaching as I type this, so it seems unlikely we’ll bring anyone else in.
Angharad joined Tottenham in 2022 along with her now-wife, Amy Turner. She didn’t bring much to the struggling ‘22-’23 side that barely escaped relegation, but we can assume that both the vibes and the football were off, especially since Angharad has turned such a corner under the new boss. As far as we know, Amy will remain at Tottenham for the remainder of the season.
Amy and Angharad own a coffee truck together that is frequently featured on our players’ socials, and hey, Seattle is a noted coffee town, so maybe Angharad can pick something up about the coffee trade while she’s there. I wish her all the best in doing so, and of course on the pitch as well.
So long, Angharad! You were a warrior on the pitch and it was a joy watching you! Good luck!