Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the signing of Dutch international Caitlin Dijkstra on May 27 on a free transfer from VfL Wolfsburg.

The 27-year-old centre-back joins on a long-term contract once her Wolfsburg deal expires at the end of June. She becomes Spurs’ second confirmed summer signing alongside striker Shekiera Martinez from West Ham, with head coach Martin Ho confirming multiple further deals already agreed ahead of the official window opening.

Three Years at Wolfsburg Forged Real Quality

Dijkstra spent three seasons at the Bundesliga’s most decorated club, initially returning to FC Twente on loan where she won the Dutch league title before integrating fully into Wolfsburg’s first team picture.

Playing in Germany’s elite division against Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen week after week develops defenders in ways the WSL cannot replicate at the same pace. Wolfsburg competed in the Champions League throughout her tenure. Dijkstra arrives at Spurs with genuine European pedigree and 35 Netherlands caps backing every claim about her quality.

Martin Ho’s Recruitment Is Accelerating

Tottenham finished fifth last season missing European qualification for the third consecutive year. Ho identified defensive reinforcement as the primary summer priority after conceding 34 goals in 22 WSL appearances.

Dijkstra provides aerial dominance, positional intelligence and ball-playing ability from the back that transforms how Spurs can build. Combined with Martinez’s attacking threat and Shekiera’s forward quality, Spurs are assembling a genuinely dangerous squad.

Champions League Football Is the Target

Dijkstra said she wants to achieve all the big things at Spurs. That ambition aligns perfectly with Martin Ho’s stated objective of reaching the top four and Champions League football by 2027. Tottenham cannot keep finishing fifth and calling it progress. These signings suggest they finally understand what is required to genuinely compete.

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Tottenham Hotspur confirmed on May 22, 2026 that Germany international Shekiera Martinez has joined from West Ham United on a long-term contract ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The 24-year-old forward replaces the void left by Bethany England’s departure and arrives having scored 16 goals across two WSL campaigns. Martin Ho moved quickly and decisively for a player multiple clubs coveted throughout the spring window.

The Numbers Speak Loudly

Martinez scored 10 goals in just 12 league appearances during her debut WSL half-season with West Ham after arriving from SC Freiburg in January 2025. That conversion rate is extraordinary. She followed up with six goals this season including a bicycle kick against Manchester United that became one of the campaign’s defining moments.

Those performances earned her a first Germany senior call-up in October 2025 for the Nations League Finals against Spain. Any doubts about her readiness for elite club football disappeared months ago.

Martin Ho’s Most Important Signing

Tottenham finished fifth this season missing out on European qualification for a third consecutive year. Strengthening the forward line represented the most urgent summer priority. Martinez brings pace, physical presence and intelligent penalty area movement that Spurs desperately lacked last season. Ho reportedly believes she can develop significantly further under structured coaching and disciplined tactical preparation. He should be right. At 24, she is entering the most productive period of any striker’s career.

Eintracht Frankfurt to WSL Star

Martinez came through Eintracht Frankfurt’s academy making over 100 appearances for the German club before joining West Ham in 2024. That foundation instilled technical discipline and tactical understanding beyond her years. Tottenham are not signing a project player.

They are signing a proven goal scorer ready for top four football immediately. Spurs supporters should be genuinely excited.

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Tottenham Hotspur Women are reportedly interested in signing Kirsty Hanson from Aston Villa this summer, and frankly, it is easy to see why.

The Scotland international has been one of the standout forwards in the WSL this season, finishing as Villa’s top scorer with 12 goals and one assist across 21 appearances, earning herself a Player of the Season nomination in the process.

Hanson signed a contract extension with Villa last year that runs until June 2027, so this would not come cheap or easy. But Spurs have made clear they intend to be ambitious in the market this summer, and a player of Hanson’s quality, at 28 and entering her absolute prime, is exactly the profile they should be targeting.

Why Spurs Need Her So Badly

The departure of Bethany England leaves a massive void in Tottenham’s attack. England was the heartbeat of this Spurs side for years, and replacing a striker who has scored over 25 goals for two different WSL clubs is not something you do on the cheap. Hanson is not a like-for-like replacement; she is arguably an upgrade in terms of where she is in her career right now.

What It Would Mean for Aston Villa

Losing Hanson would be a genuine crisis for Villa. She was not just their top scorer this season; she was the reason they won games. With Gabi Nunes and Ebony Salmon already gone, allowing Hanson to leave too would raise serious questions about how Natalia Arroyo is expected to build on the progress made this season.

The Bigger Picture at Spurs

Martin Ho has suggested much of Tottenham’s summer business was planned well in advance. If Hanson is already on that list, Spurs fans have every reason to feel excited about what next season could look like.

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