This article is overdue. I apologize for that. But it’s still important — the Women’s Super League summer transfer window closed last week, which means it’s time to take a look at Tottenham Hotspur Women’s overall business, just like we did with the men’s team.
Here’s a quick summary of all the player ins and outs for Spurs Women this summer.
Players In
- Amanda Nilden (DF) — Juventus, loan option activated, fee undisclosed
- Ella Morris (DF) — Southampton, fee undisclosed
- Clare Hunt (DF) — PSG, fee undisclosed
- Anna Csiki (MF) — BK Häcken, fee undisclosed
- Hayley Raso (AM) — Real Madrid, fee undisclosed
- Katelin Talbert (GK) — West Ham, half-season loan
- Maite Oroz (AM) — Real Madrid, £60k
Players Out
- Asmita Ale — Leicester City
- Ellie Brazil — Charlton Athletic
- Nikola Karczewska — AC Milan
- Gracie Pearse — Charlton Athletic
- Ria Percival — without club
- Ramona Petzelberger — without club
- Shelina Zadorsky — West Ham
- Gracie HIckman — Billericay Town
- Bethany Hartigan — Indiana University Indianapolis (college)
- Stella Villalta — Santa Clara University (college)
- Evie Underhill — St. Bonaventure University (college)
- Ella Houghton — Billericay Town
- Barbora Votikova — Slavia Prague
- Ellie Bishop — Watford
- Celin Bizet — Manchester United
- Elkie Bowyer — Watford (loan)
- Maia Lazarro — Watford (loan)
- Rosella Ayane — Chicago Red Stars (loan)
Transfer Summary
Tottenham Hotspur Women have made some active moves this summer, but it’s difficult to say whether they’ve actually improved from last season’s campaign, which finished fifth in the WSL and made a historic run to the FA Cup finals. On one level, while they’ve left things late they were able to make a couple of very exciting offensive signings in Maite Oroz and Hayley Raso, both from Real Madrid.
Raso, formerly of Manchester City, is a dynamic and direct winger who has torched Tottenham in the past, and I’m very excited to see what she can bring to an offense that has at times struggled to score goals. Oroz is a small player at just 5’1” and may need some time to adapt to what is a more physical league, but she has both domestic and international cred from her years at Madrid — if you’re going to get excited about a single player this window, she’s the one to get excited about.
Elsewhere, it’s a bunch of unknowns. Anna Csiki is a midfielder known to Spurs Women manager Robert Vilahamn, and has played in the Champions League with Häcken, but it’s hard to say whether she can fill that Grace Clinton-shaped hole in midfield. Making Amanda Nilden’s loan permanent was something of a no-brainer; we’ve already seen what she can do and she’s a plus add on the defensive side. Clare Hunt and Ella Morris seem like decent enough defensive reinforcements, and Katelyn Talbert is an exciting young American keeper who styles her game on former USWNT starter Hope Solo, but a half-season loan is a bit odd.
Spurs have lost winger Celin Bizet to Manchester United, which sucks, Kit Graham to another long-term knee injury, which REALLY sucks, and Rosella Ayane to the NWSL, which maybe doesn’t suck as much. Grace Clinton returning to United is a massive loss, but one hopes Csiki and Oroz can mitigate that. Tottenham will hope that Raso, along with Jessica Naz on the other flank, can unlock the offense and get Beth England and Martha Thomas more goals.
Transfer Window Grade: B
This grade would’ve been a lot lower, but I do find myself excited by the (late) signings of Raso and Oroz, who I think will really help this team. I continue to be frustrated by Tottenham’s seeming lack of willingness to juice the market with some huge signings for relatively small fees, and Spurs will eventually need a permanent replacement for keeper Becky Spencer, who is now 33. Spurs have apparently won all of their preseason behind-closed-doors matches, including (reportedly) wins over Chelsea and Manchester United, which bodes well. Maybe they’ll surprise us, but without actually seeing them in action, Spurs Women are a giant box with a “?” on the side, and it’s hard to make predictions under those circumstances. So I hope I’m wrong and Spurs go on to surprise this season!
First Match
Tottenham Hotspur Women open their WSL season this Sunday, hosting Crystal Palace at Brisbane Road at 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. BST. The match is not televised, but will be streamed (for free!) on the WSL’s YouTube Channel.
