Tottenham Hotspur return to action on Sunday after the Women Super League’s winter break with the visit of Leicester City to Brisbane Road.
Spurs will do so with a new signing in their ranks after the arrival of Netherlands international goalkeeper Lize Kop from the Foxes on Wednesday and her new boss Robert Vilahamn admits that the 26-year-old is desperate to take on her old side after signing a contract until 2028 with the north London outfit.
“Would she want to play against her former team? I can promise she wants to do that,” the Swede said at his press conference on Thursday. “Is she ready for that after a couple of training sessions with the team? Perhaps. We’ll take that decision on the Saturday.”
Kop, who will wear the number one shirt at Tottenham, is over the moon at the latest chapter in a career that has brought more than 100 senior appearances so far.
“It has been amazing. I’m very excited to start here, meet the team and I can’t wait to get on the pitch,” she said. “[Spurs] want to play good football, building up from the back, and I feel it really fits in with what I want to do. I really like the stories they had when I was speaking to them, the ambitions the club has got are really important and I feel I fit in this story as well. We want to grow a lot and I want to be part of that journey, keep improving and aiming for the top as a club.”
She added: “I’m really excited to meet the fans, give my energy to them and feel the energy of them as well. I played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season and I could feel they were all there, but this time I’m really excited to meet them on the other side.”
Kop started out at Ajax where she came through the Dutch giants’ famous academy to win two league titles with them and she believes that was the making of her.
“It was very interesting. I started professionally at Ajax and had time to work on myself, learn from mistakes and learn to be a professional footballer,” said the keeper. “I have had some injuries, that was tough, but I feel that makes you a better player in the end, you know how much you appreciate stuff. I feel I had some good games in this league, I enjoy playing here so much, it’s one of the better leagues in the world, so now I’m very excited to join Spurs and continue my career, but also the team’s journey as well.”
Spurs other winter arrival, Olivia Holdt, is not ready yet to feature against Leicester as the midfielder continues to build up her match fitness after returning from a broken leg. The 23-year-old Denmark international signed from Swedish side Rosengard earlier this month and has Women’s Champions League experience under her belt.
She netted 13 goals and laid on eight assists in 18 league appearances for Rosengard last season before missing a chunk of the second half of the season through injury, including that broken leg.
“I have been waiting for a long time for this to happen, so I’m excited and I can’t wait to get started,” Holdt said of her move to Spurs. “I had so many positive feelings and thoughts about the club for a long time, I spoke to my agent and she also had some nice words to say, so it has been very positive from the start.
“It’s really exciting to be part of this league, we have seen how much it has grown in the last couple of years so, like I said before, I’m super excited and just looking forward to getting started, competing every week.
“I have been following the team a lot on Instagram so I feel like I already know the team, I just can’t wait to get started, playing football and meeting the group. I have only heard good stuff about this group. I have seen that the fans are really nice, they support the team for when it goes good or when it goes bad, so I hope we can play some good football for them to enjoy watching us play.”
On her playing style, she explained: “I’m an offensive player that likes to create chances and help the team by scoring goals and making assists, I’m also quite a technical player and I just like to win. I have always said that the reason I play football is because it makes me happy and that has always been my biggest motivation.”
Midfielder Anna Csiki has been one of the many players at the club who has suffered from an illness bug this month and was suffering from it on Thursday so is currently a doubt for Sunday.
Tottenham will be looking to return with a win against a Leicester side that has only won once in their opening 10 games of the season and scored just three goals. Spurs have three victories and have scored 15 in their 10 games and currently sit in sixth place in the 12-team league.
