At a glance:
- Tottenham announce Bethany England’s departure
- She leaves as a club icon
- Spurs might be making similar mistake as Son Heung-min
Tottenham Hotspur have announced that Bethany England will leave the women’s team at the end of her contract this summer.
Spurs women have seen a major change this year. They finished second from bottom in the Women’s Super League last season and sacked Robert Vilahman. They appointed Martin Ho as their new head coach and are fifth with two games remaining.
However, Tottenham will now enter the next season with another major change. Having already parted ways with club legend Ashleigh Neville earlier this year, they will now let England leave as well.
Letting Bethany England leave could cost Tottenham
According to The Guardian, Spurs are letting England leave this summer as they are looking to build a younger squad. The former Chelsea striker, meanwhile, will turn 32 this summer.
While that is a good sentiment, it would take a lot to replace someone like her in the Tottenham team. England is WSL’s second all-time top scorer. She has scored 32 league goals for Spurs Women and is their top scorer this season with seven goals. Hence, replacing her goals would be really tough.
However, England doesn’t only bring her skills to a team. She has been an incredible leader for the Tottenham women’s team, helping them avoid relegation in the first season. She also helped them reach the FA Cup final in 2024. She has formed a really good connection with the club and the fans.
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Hence, the decision to let her leave without a proper established replacement could be a big risk. While the likes of Cathinka Tandberg can take over eventually, England is still Spurs’ best striker.
Tottenham’s decision to let England leave similar to Son Heung-min’s exit
Last summer, Spurs’ senior men’s team decided to part ways with Son Heung-min after his decade-long stint at the club. The 33-year-old was certainly past his best but recorded 23 goals and 16 assists in 59 games across competitions last season. He helped them win the UEFA Europa League.
Now, Son perhaps made the decision to part ways himself. However, Tottenham failed to replace him properly in the transfer window. While they signed Mohammed Kudus on the right wing, they depended on youngsters like Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel to replace him.
Moreover, Son wasn’t just a good player, but also a huge figure in the dressing room. He loved Tottenham, and every player and staff member respected him. This season, however, not only do Spurs sit in the relegation zone, but they have also seen rifts between the fans and the players.
Also Read: Tottenham predicted lineup vs Aston Villa as De Zerbi chooses Xavi Simons replacement
Tottenham will hope that England’s departure doesn’t lead to a similar impact on the women’s team as Son’s did on the men’s team. It would all depend on their ability to bring in proper reinforcements in the summer.
