Kirsty Hanson Joins Tottenham Hotspur: A Game-Changer for WSL
Kirsty Hanson’s name was not the loudest of this summer’s arrivals in the Women’s Super League. No glossy unveiling from overseas, no marquee fanfare.
But it might just be the smartest move of the lot.
The Scotland forward has traded Aston Villa for Tottenham Hotspur, a switch that slipped quietly under the radar while other clubs shouted about big international signings. Look a little closer, though, and it’s clear Spurs may have landed a game-changer.
Last season, Hanson finished as the WSL’s third-highest scorer. Twelve goals in 22 games, in a Villa side that toiled to ninth. Only Khadija Shaw and Alessia Russo found the net more often. That’s elite company.
So why walk away from a club where she had finally become the main threat? And why Spurs, a side still trying to crash the league’s established top three as they kick off their WSL campaign at home to West Ham on 6 September?
From low on confidence to Villa talisman
Hanson’s rise has not been sudden, even if last season felt like a breakout. Her four years at Villa marked a steady climb, built on graft rather than hype.
Before that, she had helped Manchester United build their women’s side into a serious professional outfit, only to hit a wall when regular minutes dried up. By the time Villa took her on loan in 2022, she needed more than a change of scenery.
She needed a reset.
At Villa, she found it. Confidence returned. So did end product. Across 100 appearances, she scored 26 goals and collected two player-of-the-season awards, a clear sign of how central she had become.
"I've got to thank Villa so much. They know that I left on good terms. I really enjoyed my time," she told BBC Sport. "Everyone there helped me boost my confidence again. Hopefully, I can just build on that now, but I'm not putting pressure on myself."
Leaving that behind was never going to be straightforward.
"It was obviously a very tough decision to leave Villa but just looking at Spurs, you could see their ambition and each season they have been improving," she said.
The Martin Ho factor
Ambition alone doesn’t always seal a move. Coaching does. And in this case, one coach in particular.
"When they appointed Martin [Ho] as manager, I think that was a big statement because he is one of the best coaches I've worked with."
Hanson knows exactly what she is getting with Ho. The pair worked together at Manchester United, where he served as assistant coach between 2020 and 2023. He pushed her then. He plans to push her again.
Ho identified her as a key target this summer, and Spurs backed him, paying an undisclosed fee to bring her to north London.
"I know he gets the best out of me with the detail he puts in. I really think that will push me further on in my career," Hanson said. "The signings Tottenham have made shows they really want to push on and win things. I want to achieve that while I'm here."
If pre-season is any indication, Ho has wasted no time.
"Training's been really tough. It was probably one of the toughest pre-seasons I've done so far. Martin is challenging us, trying to push us to our limits.
"That's what I really wanted, because I needed a challenge. I don't just want to be signed because they think I'm good, I want them to improve me."
Spurs aim higher – and competition bites
Tottenham finished fifth last season. Respectable. Not enough.
The target now is clear: break into the top three and reach the Women's Champions League. To do that, they have rebuilt with intent.
Hanson arrives alongside West Ham’s top scorer Shekiera Martinez, France defender Alice Sombath from Lyon and creative midfielder Victoria Pelova from Arsenal. It’s a spine with goals, guile and pedigree.
It also means no guarantees.
"It’s going to be tough. I'm not expecting anything. My main aim is just to be better because I've got so many levels to go to. Martin knows that as well," Hanson said.
"I'm definitely comfortable [in the WSL] now but I still don't see myself as one of the best. I'm very critical of myself."
She knows exactly what she is walking into.
"I knew the level of players that were here. I'm just so excited to learn from them. I'm also here to help others, because that's what I've done at every club.
"I might not be the most talented but I've got a lot of fight and hunger in me. I literally run through a brick wall for my team. Hopefully I've showed them that."
Numbers that matter
Strip away the emotion and the move still makes sense. The data backs it up.
Last season, Hanson scored 43% of Villa’s league goals. Almost half of everything they did in front of goal went through her. Among the WSL’s top five scorers, she posted the best shots-on-target ratio at 50%.
She wasn’t just a finisher either. Only two Villa players created more chances than her 16, and she recorded the most touches in the opposition box. She lived in dangerous areas, constantly asking questions.
Off the ball, the effort matched the output. Hanson ranked among the leading performers in her position for defensive actions, including tackles and interceptions. She chased, pressed, recovered. She didn’t wait for the game to come to her.
This is exactly the profile Tottenham need if they are serious about closing the gap to the league’s heavyweights: a forward who scores, creates, presses and sets the tone.
A sharper mind, a bigger stage
Hanson is not just banking on physical development. She has grown upstairs too.
The Scotland international holds a degree in sports coaching and talks about the game with the clarity of someone who sees beyond her own role.
Asked where she has improved most, she said: "I know what to do at different points in the game. I know how to calm players down.
"Previously when I worked with Martin, I was younger and I wouldn't have been able to cope with that as much. But now I've definitely matured a lot."
That maturity, paired with Ho’s detailed approach and a stronger supporting cast, is what makes this move so intriguing.
Tottenham have made bolder signings on paper. Other clubs have made louder ones. But if Hanson brings her Villa form, adds another layer under a coach who knows how to unlock her, and thrives amid the competition Spurs have created, this could be the transfer that shifts their ceiling.
The question now is simple: can that quiet, under-the-radar deal help turn Tottenham from hopeful challengers into a team the WSL’s elite genuinely fear?
