Tottenham announced the acquisition of France international defender Alice Sombath from Lyon, marking a club record transfer for the English side. The 22-year-old defender joins on undisclosed terms, surpassing the previous record set by Norway international Signe Gaupset’s arrival for approximately £375,000 the previous year.
Sombath brings significant European experience after spending five seasons at Lyon, where she made 102 appearances and established herself as a key player for the French club. During her tenure in France, she secured five consecutive Premiere Ligue titles and participated in the successful 2021-22 Women’s Champions League campaign. The defender has represented France throughout her career, progressing through all age groups from under-16s to the senior squad, and featured in every match at Euro 2025, starting three games during the group stage.
Capable of playing either centre-back or right-back, Sombath expressed enthusiasm about joining the competitive Women’s Super League. She highlighted Tottenham’s strong performance in the previous season and stated her confidence that her defensive qualities would contribute meaningfully to the squad’s development.
Tottenham manager Martin Ho praised the signing, characterizing Sombath as a player the club had monitored extensively. He emphasized her maturity, physical defending style, possession comfort, and competitive mentality as qualities aligned with the club’s development strategy.
The acquisition represents part of a successful transfer window for Tottenham, with Sombath being the sixth addition to their squad. The club has also brought in Shekeira Martinez, Kirsty Hanson, Victoria Pelova, Caitlin Dijkstra, and Selma Panengstuen, completing their transfer business early in the window.