Tottenham Hotspur Women have announced the signing of 22-year-old defender Alice Sombath. Just how good is she, and why did she join Spurs?
Tottenham Hotspur Women have completed one of the signings of the summer, breaking their transfer record to acquire defender Alice Sombath from OL Lyonnes.
The right-footed 22-year-old has proven herself to be one of the most impressive young defenders around, and committing her future to Tottenham is a huge coup for the club.
Sombath grew up in Paris FC’s academy from a young age before making the switch to Paris Saint-Germain and eventually being snapped up by Lyon in 2020. She made 71 Première Ligue appearances in her five years in the club’s first-team picture.
Equally capable in the centre or on the right-hand side of the defence, Sombath has seriously impressed for Lyon since her first-team debut in August 2021. When comparing her numbers to those of other Première Ligue defenders since the 2021-22 season, it’s clear to see why Spurs were willing to break their transfer record for her. While the fee is undisclosed, she cost more than the £375,000 they paid for Signe Gaupset last year.
Sombath played 3,192 successful passes – the eighth most of any defender – and maintained an accuracy of 90.5%, the very best in the league. She has demonstrated composure and ability on the ball for a player who, in the grand scheme of things, is still at the beginning of her career.
Playing for a team like Lyon, who have won every league title since Sombath’s introduction, the France international has had to engage in fewer duels than a lot of defenders across the league; as such, her 152 duels won is only slightly above average in comparison to her peers. When she does engage, though, she has a strong record, with her 65.2% duel success rate the 10th best in the French top flight.
One area that has often been a point of concern, however, is her height. Sombath stands at 5’5″, and this negatively affected her aerial ability during her first seasons of senior football. Her 51% success rate in aerial duels between 2021-2025 placed her below the middle of the pack in comparison to other Première Ligue defenders.
It appears she and her coaches have worked extremely hard to avoid this becoming a problem, however, as demonstrated by the sharp increase she saw in this regard in the 2025-26 season. Sombath’s aerial duel success rate shot up to 72.7% last campaign, the fifth highest in the entire league (min 10+ aerial duels won).
In direct comparison to players aged under 23, it becomes clear Sombath is one of the best young defenders around. During the 2025-26 Première Ligue season, she ranked first among under-23 defenders for successful passes (1,004) and passing accuracy (93.4%), and second for duel success (68.3%). In terms of players with a minimum of 10 aerial duels won, Sombath’s aforementioned 72.7% success rate in the air was the highest of any player within her age bracket.
Sombath’s impressive passing accuracy and aerial duel success were still the highest of any defender when pitted against players in the same age bracket across Europe’s top five leagues last season. Spurs haven’t just acquired one of France’s most impressive young players, but one of Europe’s top defensive prospects.
It was a similarly successful story in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Since she broke into Lyon’s first-team five years ago, Sombath ranks first among defenders in her age bracket for numerous metrics. She has made the most appearances (19), won the most aerial duels (14), made the most recoveries (88) and completed by far the most carries (234); Silvia Lloris’ 109 is second.
So, if Sombath is showing this much promise and performing at this high a level already, why has she moved to Spurs?
Well, the Lilywhites recorded a fifth-place finish in the Women’s Super League last season and managed a club-record total of 36 points. That position in the WSL, which the Opta Power Rankings lists as the toughest league in the world with an average team rating of 84, is no mean feat.
Spurs are looking to build on what was a successful season under manager Martin Ho by adding more quality across the board. Sombath is the club’s sixth summer signing after Shekiera Martinez, Caitlin Dijkstra, Kirsty Hanson, Victoria Pelova and Selma Panengstuen.
The English top flight has, in the past, had a clear ‘big four’ of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. Across the last few years, though, this gap between the best and the rest has slowly been closing, and next season is expected by many to be the WSL’s most competitive yet.
London City Lionesses are having a huge summer; they have signed the likes of Alexia Putellas, Kadidiatou Diani, Mapi León and Mary Earps, to name but a few, as they attempt to disrupt the status quo and challenge for the WSL title.
Clubs such as Tottenham and Brighton & Hove Albion might not have the same sort of money at their disposal, but have been quietly building very strong squads in preparation for the 2026-27 campaign.
According to the Opta Power Rankings, Spurs ended the season as the fifth-strongest team in the WSL and will be hoping to maintain – and maybe even improve on – this position in the future. They are currently 29th in Opta’s Global Power Rankings, ahead of the likes of Seattle Reign, Juventus and Corinthinans.
For Spurs, adding Sombath is a huge sign of intent. This is a player who has proven herself to be one of the most exciting prospects in Europe. Her arrival is a huge step towards the club having not only a very successful 2026-27, but a promising future beyond next season, too.
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