Tottenham Women extend Zadorsky, Ayane ahead of final WSL match Sunday

Tottenham Hotspur Women haven’t had the season in the WSL that they hoped for this year, but but they are safe from relegation with one match to play and can start looking to what comes next. The past few days saw two regular starters sign new contracts as Rianne Skinner starts looking ahead to Spurs’ third straight season in the top flight.

On Saturday, Canadian central defender Shelina Zadorsky made her one season loan from NWSL side Orlando Pride a permanent deal (following Alanna Kennedy who made a similar move earlier in the season), signing a contract that runs through 2022 with the option of an additional year.

Zadorsky has been a regular starter for the Women in the back line and has also served as match captain on numerous occasions when club captain Josie Green was not on the pitch. Her extension is exciting — Spurs have had a pretty stout defense at times this season, and Zadorsky is a big part of why.

Before this morning’s kickoff between the men’s side and Leeds United, Spurs Women announced a second new contract — speedy wide attacker Rosella Ayane also signed a new deal on similar terms to Zadorsky — through 2022 with an additional one-year option.

Ayane saw a huge uptick in minutes this season from last and has played all across the attacking band, including at striker. However, she’s most adept on the wings as an inside forward or on the wing. Ayane hasn’t been a prolific scorer this season with just one goal to her credit (to be fair, no one on Spurs’ team has more than two goals so it’s hardly just her) but she’s a player who has shown more than a few glimpses of skill in attack. She’s a player who definitely will continue to have a role as Spurs hopefully improve for next season.

Tottenham sit eighth in the WSL table and are on a miserable run, having lost four straight (after back to back losses to Chelsea and Manchester City), and eight of their last ten. They are without a win since a 1-0 win over West Ham on January 17 and could finish as low as 11th. Even so, they are safe from any threat of relegation and can make a statement in their final WSL match of the season, away at 10th place Birmingham City tomorrow. The bottom-placed team in the WSL will drop to the FAWC, with Leicester City already confirmed to replace them in the top flight next season; there’s a chance that Spurs could relegate Birmingham with a win tomorrow pending results from Bristol City and Aston Villa.

The match kicks off at 2:30 p.m. BST, 9:30 a.m. ET and will be streamed for free on The FA Player.