Kirsty Hanson is set to leave Aston Villa for Tottenham after a standout Women's Super League season that established the Scotland international as one of the division's most dangerous forwards. BBC Sport reports that Spurs have had a bid accepted by Villa and are now finalising personal terms with the 28-year-old, who is expected to complete the move this month.
A season that demanded attention
Hanson finished the WSL campaign as the third-highest scorer in the entire division, netting 12 goals in 22 appearances. Only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw and Arsenal's Alessia Russo outscored her, which tells its own story. Villa recognised her contribution by naming her their player of the year, and the wider game took notice too — she claimed the WSL Football goal-of-the-season award for a strike against West Ham. It was a season that made a transfer move feel inevitable.
The noises out of north London had been building since May, when it emerged Spurs were actively pursuing Hanson. Those reports have now hardened into something concrete, with the fee undisclosed but the destination settled.
Reunited with Martin Ho
There is a personal dimension to this deal that will have smoothed the path. Tottenham manager Martin Ho previously worked with Hanson during her time at Manchester United, where he served as assistant coach. The pair already have a working relationship, and Ho will be confident he knows exactly what he is getting.
Ho joined Spurs from SK Brann ahead of the 2024-25 season and guided the club to a fifth-place finish in his debut campaign — a promising foundation. Tottenham are clearly intent on building on that, with Hanson arriving as part of a purposeful summer window. Spurs have already brought in West Ham forward Shekiera Martinez and Dutch defender Caitlin Dijkstra, and Hanson's arrival would represent a significant upgrade in attacking quality.
Scotland's gain, Villa's loss
For Aston Villa, losing their top scorer and player of the year in the same window is a difficult pill to swallow, even if Hanson had only a year left on her contract. The club will need to act quickly to plug the gap she leaves behind.
For Hanson personally, the move makes every kind of sense. She has scored five goals in 44 appearances for Scotland and, at 28, is entering what many would regard as the peak years of her career. Joining a Tottenham side with clear ambition and a manager who already believes in her gives her the platform to push on at club and international level.
The market will no doubt take a view on Spurs' title prospects once the full squad picture becomes clearer, but on current evidence, Ho is assembling a squad capable of challenging further up the WSL table. Hanson, if and when the paperwork is signed, will be central to those plans.
Frequently asked
- Why is Kirsty Hanson leaving Aston Villa?
- Hanson had only a year remaining on her Villa contract and Tottenham have had a bid accepted. After finishing as the WSL's third-highest scorer and winning Villa's player of the year award, it appears the club were unable to keep her beyond this summer.
- How many goals did Kirsty Hanson score this WSL season?
- Hanson scored 12 goals in 22 WSL appearances, making her the division's third-highest scorer behind Khadija Shaw and Alessia Russo. She also won the WSL Football goal-of-the-season award for her strike against West Ham.
- Who is Tottenham Women's manager Martin Ho?
- Martin Ho joined Tottenham from Norwegian side SK Brann and led Spurs to a fifth-place WSL finish in his debut season. He previously worked as assistant coach at Manchester United, where he also worked alongside Kirsty Hanson.