DONE DEAL: Rosella Ayane signs new contract with Tottenham Women

Tottenham Hotspur Women just announced that it’s retaining one of its regular stars for the next two seasons. Spurs and Morocco winger Rosella Ayane signed a new contract today, as announced on the club’s social media channels, that will keep her in lilywhite for the next two seasons.

This deal is announced just a week before Ayane is set to make her World Cup debut with Morocco in the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Rosella scored the decisive penalty in a shootout over Nigeria that sent Morocco to qualification (and her reaction was priceless).

Ayane is a product of Chelsea’s youth academy, but left in 2016 and was out of the game a full year before reigniting her career with Apollon Limassol in Cyprus. She joined Spurs from Bristol City in 2019, just after Tottenham promoted to the WSL for the first time in club history.

This new contract is good news, but I have to admit I’m a touch surprised. Ayane is a speedy winger with tons of pace and an ability to stretch WSL back lines with incisive runs on the flank, but she struggled a bit with her final ball this past season and with her finishing. Ayane had one goal and four assists in 1900 minutes for Spurs last season; she had some games where she was remarkably good and others where she seemed to fade into the background, but to be fair that’s pretty much true of the whole of Tottenham’s team last season, so I shouldn’t be too critical. I half expected her to decide to make a move for a new challenge, so this announcement is an unexpected pleasure.

Ayane’s pace is a real asset, and as she’s shown with Morocco in the right system she could break out and be extremely good. I’m hoping she takes a leap forward next season under new Swedish head coach Robert Vilahamn; Spurs are expected to play in a much more progressive style under Vilahamn, and this could be to Ayane’s direct benefit.

Congratulations to Rosella, and good luck in the World Cup!