Is it massively early to even discuss this subject? Yes. However, I’m slightly bored, even though we’re five games into the season, having played four Women’s Super League games and one League Cup. It’s clear there are issues at Tottenham already this season, and next summer could be the make-or-break next step for Robert Vilahamn to reach his and the club’s goal of getting into the Champions League positions.
Before talking about incoming, I want to state many of these outgoings are down to players who have helped the club reach this point and now need to move on so the club can take the position into taking the next step.
The first is Becky Spencer; her saves last season in the FA Cup quarter and semi-finals were why Spurs achieved their first cup final. However, I’ve felt that for some time, Jamaican number one has reached her peak in North London, and I could see her retire at the end of the season.
While in defence, Luana Bühler will be out of contract at the end of the season, and the Swiss international has dropped down the pecking order at Spurs, not appearing in the league so far.
Her only appearance was in the League Cup against Charlton, even though she scored and hadn’t played as much, she was subbed in the second half for Claire Hunt.
Midfield could see the biggest exodus of players, with two to three players on the move, all from the central midfield.
Despite signing a new deal until June 2026, Drew Spence would be the first to move on. Nothing personal. By the end of last season, she was the best centre midfielder. However, I don’t know if there’d be a regular spot by next summer with the players coming in. So I can see her moving to West Ham or a top Championship side.
The next is Shuang Wang, the Chinese international who is currently injured, which seems to be her story since joining in January 2024. Whenever she does play, it has yet to be that impactful, and it might simply be down to the WSL being too big of a jump.
Finally, this is down to her fitness, having suffered a second ACL. It would be sad to see Kit Graham leave, but it would be a big ask to get back to the level she was before the injury. It may be worth finding a replacement for her.
Finally, it’s time to move Beth England on.
I know she’s club captain, and I’ll be grateful for her performance when she first joined because if it weren’t for the England forward’s 12 goals in the second half of the 2021/22 season, Spurs would’ve gotten relegated, and it would’ve been not only embarrassing but set the club back years.
So I thank her and she is a club legend, but England doesn’t fit in with Robert’s style of play, and whenever she is in the box doesn’t get the shot off.
This is not to say Martha Thomas hasn’t been any better at the beginning of this season, but she can offer more in how the club plays. So the Scottish striker would be a bench option.
I know this will raise some eyes, but Jessica Naz must start improving. Similar to last season, the Lioness had a poor start to the season before getting into form in January, helping Spurs get their first-ever win in the North London derby, and couldn’t stop scoring with her goal in the FA Cup semi-final kept them in the game.
Again, it’s not under threat yet, but just because Naz has been with the club since their promotion to the WSL doesn’t mean a lot now and because Hayley Raso and Matilda Vinberg are better wing options at the moment.
With that out of the way, it’s time to look at the incomings.
Forward
The most critical first signing will be getting a striker to start week in and week out— a proven goal scorer, bringing energy to the press and link-up play.
The dream move would be Caroline Graham Hansen. The Barcelona forward isn’t an out-in-out striker, instead playing on the right wing, but could easily do the job, having scored 32 goals in 40 games for the Champions League winners last season and the season before, the Norwegian scored 13 in 19.
It would be the type of signing one of the top three WSL sides would make, but Spurs would offer the challenge of getting the club up the table. It would also be as big of a signing since Alex Morgan and will likely be a British record bid to secure her signature.
The bonus of getting Hansen is that she can move out to the right-wing if Rob wants to bring something different to the attack.
Additionally, with Kiera Walsh leaving next summer, I see this being the end of this era for the Catalina club, with other players wanting to challenge themselves elsewhere.
Alternatively, Aggie Beever-Jones would be the long-term signing and be the focal point for years to come, having impressed in her breakout season last season, scoring 14 goals in 34 games.
The only issue is that I don’t know how the Spurs fans would react to another Chelsea player coming to the club, as they might think the 21-year-old has only moved to get game time, not because she wants to wear the lilywhite.
While a forward will be a priority in the summer, if England and Thomas continue to misfire, a move for a striker could, and should, happen as soon as January.
In which case, Hansen’s club teammate Fridolina Rolfö would be the one to get as the Swede would have great connections with Matilda Vinberg, Amanda Nilden and Robert.
Again, she would offer something different and could play multiple roles as a left winger and striker and even be a backup left-back if needed.
However, there could be a WSL solution to the club’s striker woes, as The Mail’s Kathryn Batte has said Chloe Kelly could be leaving Manchester City due to contract issues and a breakdown of the relationship with the manager.
This would be the level of player Robert and Daniel Levy should be on the phone too. The pitch is simple: she’d be a regular starter up-front and return to London to be close to family. Also, City might want to get some sort of fee instead of letting her leave for free in the summer, and Spurs can’t risk a contract bidding war either.
Furthermore, it would give the attack so much fluidity when you include Naz, Raso and Vinberg.
Goalkeeper
This position could be sorted by the upcoming winter transfer window, as there are rumours that Swedish keeper Jennifer Falk could be landing at Hotspur Way.
She would seemingly tick the necessary boxes of being a Swede from Rob’s former club BK Häcken and would be a free signing as her contract expires in January.
Some evidence suggests this could be likely with Katelin Talbert only at the club on a short-term basis.
However, if this doesn’t happen, the go-to new number one should be Merle Frohms from Wolfsburg.
The former German international, who has played in Germany her whole career, is out of contract at the end of the season but could be persuaded to take on a new challenge and a new league.
The 29-year-old (who will be 30 in January) would be the calibre of signing the club needs to make with her experience at international and Champions League level. She is ideal between the sticks because she’s a fantastic shot-stopper and will close down the space to pressure the striker.
Midfield
In this early part of the season, it’s clear and excruciating to admit, that this squad is missing a creative attacking midfielder and Grace Clinton was never replaced.
However, the ideal replacement was in front of our eyes last weekend. The club should make this move either in the winter window or next summer, and that’s for Liverpool’s Marie Therese Höbinger.
Take away from the awful officiating from the defeat to Liverpool, the Austrian midfielder had an incredible game with a fantastic free kick and has a great run of matches.
Elsewhere, Tottenham has some excellent technical players. Still, besides Eveliina Summanen, there is no one to do the defensive work in protecting the back four and starting attacking moves, and USWNT’s Sam Coffey could be that player.
Her performances for NWSL side Portland Thorns got her a senior call-up, and she was part of Emma Hayes’s gold medal Olympic team this summer and, at 25, could do a job and handle the WSL.
Listening to this discussion, Coffey is a player you give a four-year deal to before the bigger clubs come in. This report from two years ago believes the US midfielder could be the next Keira Walsh or Lena Oberdorf.
The final midfielder will likely be an Aussie, given the players at the club and getting another will be a step closer to opening a Roundabout at Hotspur Way.
It’s come to two players, but the moves would be for different reasons away from their WSL clubs.
Those two names are Clare Wheeler and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
Having gone into her third season with Everton, the 26-year-old could be looking for a new challenge and a step-up and would be a solid addition to the midfield and someone to come off the bench.
Wheeler could also be a target for January.
Compared to Cooney-Cross, who would be competing to be in the starting 11 every WSL matchday and can play different roles in the midfield, from defensive to even further forward.
At 22, I’m sure she’s alright to play a bit role at Arsenal at the moment, but it just feels like everything is suited for the Matilda at Spurs. Her best friend Charlotte Grant is there among other countrywomen and knows Vinberg from their time together at Hammarby IF. Kyra has proven with longer game time, she can be influential, something she’s not getting from the team in red across the road.
Defence
If Bühler leaves, I believe Eva Nystrom would be the perfect replacement. You have a defender who would compete with Molly Bartrip and Hunt to start every match day in the WSL, adding depth to the position alongside Amy James-Turner.
The Finnish international has excellent feet and ball control and would have her countrywomen Olga and Eva there and former Hammarby teammate Matilda. Additionally, she would only have six months left on her contract with the Swedish side.
As mentioned above, I know it’s early to think about, but hopefully, you can see my aims with these transfers. The squad needs freshening up and would include academy talents Lenna Gunning-Williams and Araya Dennis being part of the first team regularly next season.
The Bear Cave 