By Jack Howes
24^th August 2025

With less than two weeks until the WSL transfer deadline, Spurs have, by the end of Sunday 24^th August, signed just one player.

For a team that finished 11^th out of 12 last season Spurs inaction this summer is… surprising. After all, it was not as if the team had mitigating reasons for last year’s form: The squad was not especially badly injury-hit, nor was it particularly young, needing time to grow and develop. Rather, Spurs had one of the oldest average starting XI’s in the league and our injury luck was, I would argue, no better nor worse than any other team.

Yet more than two months into the transfer window, we have brought in one player: centre back Tōko Koga. Koga is extremely promising but only 19 years old. Meanwhile, we have brought in a new manager, who needs backing in the transfer market.

Last week I wrote a draft of this article which comprised a stinging criticism of Spurs’ lack of off-season activity. It seemed to smack of a club that at boardroom level was not even pretending to care – just happy to let the women’s team drift in the lower ebbs of the WSL, perhaps making a few panicked investments if relegation became a realistic possibility. That draft included the line ‘fifteen months on from the FA Cup final, our best chance of silverware is to be relegated and win the WSL2’.

And then yesterday, we went to Meadow Park and beat a strong Arsenal team 4-3.

Now, one preseason win does not make a summer. We beat Man United last preseason and then had a stinker of a season. But watching the highlights from yesterday and seeing us press effectively, harry the opposition and create chances in open play was eye-opening. Maybe the squad isn’t so bad? Does the club have a plan after all? I remain skeptical. But there are indications that already Martin Ho is having an effect and we are likely to see a better coached Spurs team this season.

Moreover, however encouraging this is, there are still huge holes in the squad that need filling before the transfer window closes. Assuming Hayley Raso leaves, we only have two senior wingers and need one, really two, additions here. We are light at full back with Ella Morris out for the season. Additionally, I would be happy to see us add depth at centre forward, centre midfield and centre back.

With this in mind, and the transfer deadline looming, I am imagining a world in which I am Spurs’ long-promised but yet to be unveiled Head of Recruitment and have been tasked with identifying five players we could semi-realistically sign before the transfer window closes at 11pm on Thursday 4^th September:

Signe Gaupset

Signe Gaupset, a 20 year old attacking midfielder currently playing for Martin Ho’s former team Brann, is one of the world’s most exciting young talents. An electric number ten or advanced number eight, she is quick, extremely skilful, goes past players with ease and scores and assists with alacrity. This compilation shows how gifted she is.

Her enthusiasm in games is palpable and she plays with a verve and swagger that fans love to see. Such is her ability that at the Euros, Norway manager Gemma Grainger moved Guro Reiten to full back so Gaupset could be a starter in attack.

She has international experience with Norway, Champions League experience with Brann and will be playing at the very highest levels for years to come.

For a team still sorely missing Grace Clinton, Gaupset would be a true Grace replacement and an absolute dynamite signing. Given she has been linked with the great and good of European football, signing her would be miraculous. But with Martin Ho as manager, plus the money we apparently offered Man Utd for Clinton last summer still largely unspent, I will perhaps foolishly dream that we can make a deal happen.

Ruby Mace

Ruby Mace is a 21 year old midfielder for Leicester who made her Lionesses debut against Spain in a February friendly. Athletic and a great tackler with boundless energy, she would give our midfield much-enhanced physicality and running power.

With Eveliina Summanen and maybe Kit Graham our only defensive midfielders currently with the ability to cover large distances, make tackles and join midfield and attack, we badly need another midfielder with a similar skillset and physical profile. Last year’s disaster at the Emirates when a 5-0 defeat flattered Spurs in Summanen’s absence shows the need for another mobile defensive midfielder.

I believe Mace fits the bill and, aged only 21 with many more Lionesses caps to come, would be an excellent signing.  Tackles, interceptions and powerful runs forward with the ball are where she excels. Her passing may need improvement, but Leicester’s style of play makes it tricky to judge technical ability. I would hope good coaching would improve this. Her other attributes anyhow more than atone for any current technical deficiencies.

Everton are, according to the press, currently keenly interested in signing her. If we have anything about us, now is the time to swoop in and get her to Brisbane Road.

Larissa Mühlhaus

Larissa Mühlhaus is a 22 year old forward for Werder Bremen in the Frauen-Bundesliga. Top scorer in the Bundesliga 2 for Hamburg in 2023-24, she moved to the top league in Germany with Werder Bremen and scored ten goals in twenty one league games for a team who finished 7^th out of 12.

At 5ft10, Mühlhaus is excellent in the air and capable of extraordinary goals like this overhead kick against Carl Zeiss-Jena. She is not a just a cliched big woman up front – she has some pace and can play out wide as well as up front, also being a good set piece taker. Her stats for passing, dribbling and creating chances along with her goals are excellent.

Giving us good options both out wide and up front make her a key potential signing. With Matilda Vinberg and Jess Naz being our only two senior wingers (if or when Raso leaves), plus Beth England aging and Martha Thomas struggling for goals, we need talented forwards desperately. Mühlhaus is an extremely gifted player, who will likely soon make her Germany debut and if she signed, become a focal point for years to come.

Megan Collett

Megan Collett is a 20 year old right back for Southampton in the WSL2, with experience playing for England U19’s and U23’s.

Spurs signing a young promising full back from Southampton, who attacks well and backs herself when defending one-on-ones… Sound familiar?

With the desperately unlucky Ella Morris likely out for the season with a torn ACL, we need another full back. Megan Collett ticks all the boxes and more as a young player of promise who can grow and develop backing up Amanda Nilden and Ashleigh Neville.

Lisa Doorn

Lisa Doorn is a 24 year old centre back, currently playing for Hoffenheim in the Frauen-Bundesliga. She has four caps for the Netherlands and was named in their provisional 26 players for Euro 2025, though sadly did not make the final squad.

The first thing you notice about her is her height. She is six foot and good in the air. What may surprise people is her technical ability – she is an excellent passer with her left foot, and has great statistics for winning duels and completing successful dribbles. This compilation from her time at Ajax shows her gifts on the ball.

A tall, ball-carrying centre back who passes well makes her pleasantly similar to new signing Koga, being left footed makes her a natural choice as left-sided centre back.

Centre back is not seen by many as a priority position for Spurs – we have six centre backs on the books currently, with no known plans to play with a back three anytime soon. However, of those centre backs, Luana Bühler and Amy James-Turner are seemingly fairly long-term absentees, while of our other centre backs Toko Koga is young, Clare Hunt and Josefine Rybrink coming off patchy campaigns, while Molly Bartrip has long struggled in the air.

Doorn at six foot would instantly make us better defending crosses and set pieces, all while having the ability to initiate attacks.