4 months ago
Leicester are poised to motion nan knowledgeable full-back Ashleigh Neville from their chap Women’s Super League nine Tottenham, nan Guardian understands, aft nan northbound London nine completed deals for Julie Blakstad and Hanna Wijk.
According to sources, an statement has been reached for Neville’s move. Tottenham connected Monday announced nan signing of nan Norway world Blakstad connected arsenic free transfer, aft her statement expired astatine Hammarby. The 24-year-old erstwhile Manchester City subordinate tin run arsenic a winger, wing-back aliases left-back.
Neville is Tottenham’s longest-serving player, having been pinch nan nine for 8 and a half years, and has been a halfway portion of their broadside since promotion to nan 2nd tier successful 2017. A fans’ favourite, she became successful February 2025 nan first subordinate to make 100 WSL appearances for Tottenham and was a cardinal portion of nan broadside that reached nan club’s first Women’s FA Cup last successful 2024.
Neville’s move to Rick Passmoor’s Leicester is expected to bring regular starting opportunities aft Tottenham besides signed nan Sweden full-back Wijk. The 22-year-old Wijk can, for illustration Neville, play astatine left-back aliases right-back and Tottenham are evolving their squad. Leicester are understood to beryllium targeting players pinch much WSL experience, having often had nan youngest mean property successful nan section successful their starting broadside this season.
Both clubs person performed supra expectations this term, pinch Leicester ninth, six points clear of nan relegation zone, and Tottenham – nan WSL’s astonishment package – fifth, 2 points disconnected a European place.
The Spurs caput coach, Martin Ho, said of Blakstad: “Julie is simply a modern, move full-back who brings a existent attacking separator to her game. She combines pace, method value and crippled intelligence pinch nan expertise to consistently effect nan crippled successful nan last third, while still delivering nan protect strength and subject required astatine nan highest level.
“She was a clear privilege for us, and contempt beardown title from a number of apical clubs successful England and crossed Europe, Julie chose Tottenham Hotspur.”
On Sunday, Tottenham signed nan Chelsea guardant Maika Hamano connected indebtedness for nan reminder of nan season. The 21-year-old, portion of Japan’s squad astatine nan Paris Olympics successful 2024, helped Chelsea triumph nan WSL title successful each of nan past 2 seasons, including by scoring astatine Tottenham successful a 1-0 triumph successful May 2024 that lifted Chelsea apical successful their penultimate game.
