Tottenham sign France defender Sombath from Lyon

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Tottenham Hotspur have signed France defender Alice Sombath from Lyon for a club-record fee. The 22-year-old arrives for an undisclosed amount, and BBC said the length of her deal has not been made public. The previous Spurs women’s transfer record was believed to be the roughly £375,000 paid for Norway international Signe Gaupset last year.

Sombath leaves one of Europe’s most successful women’s clubs after five seasons at Lyon. According to the BBC, she made 102 appearances there, won five straight Premiere Ligue titles and was part of Lyon’s 2021-22 Women’s Champions League-winning squad. She previously developed at Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain youth level before moving to Lyon in 2020.

The defender has 16 senior appearances for France and has represented the national team across age-group levels. BBC Sport noted that she can play either at centre-back or right-back, and that she appeared in every France match at Euro 2025, including three group-stage starts. Sombath said she was looking forward to the competitiveness of the league and believed she could add to a Spurs side that performed strongly last season.

Tottenham manager Martin Ho described Sombath as a long-term target whose qualities fit the club’s plans, pointing to her maturity, ball-playing ability, defensive aggression and competitiveness. Her signing is part of a busy early transfer window for Spurs, who have also added Shekeira Martinez, Kirsty Hanson, Victoria Pelova, Caitlin Dijkstra and Selma Panengstuen as they strengthen for the Women’s Super League campaign.