Here’s some fresh News Out of Nowhere™ concerning Tottenham Hotspur Women that literally caused my jaw to drop. Spurs announced on social media and their website that goalkeeper Becky Spencer has been loaned to Chelsea on an emergency basis until the end of the season.
Spencer, a Jamaica international, has been at Tottenham for five and a half seasons, and until recently was Spurs’ No. 1; in recent years she has seen her match time dwindle, and is now considered a third keeper under Robert Vilahamn, behind new signing Lize Kop and academy graduate Eleanor Heeps.
Chelsea are in a bit of a pickle themselves, with Femke Liefting picking up a recent long term injury and Zecira Musovic expecting a baby. Hannah Hampton and Katie Cox are still at the club, and it’s not clear yet whether Spencer is coming in as a potential starter or as emergency cover. Hampton is expected to start in goal for Chelsea for tomorrow’s match against Brighton.
This is a bit shocking, frankly. There was a time a few years ago when I thought Spencer could start for any team in the WSL, but at 34 she is aging and no longer is putting in the heroic performances she was known for. In my mind this move pretty much crystalizes the fact that Spencer is not likely to remain at Tottenham for much longer, as the club has already found her long-term replacements in Kop and Heeps. I’d expect her to either move on or be sold this summer.