REPORT: Ash Neville in talks to join Leicester City Women

For as long as I’ve followed Tottenham Hotspur Women, Ashleigh Neville has been sporting an iconic hairdo and wreaking havoc on opposing teams’ wingers and fullbacks alike. Maybe I didn’t want to think about the end, but in my heart, I believed Ash would just keep doing it forever. Failing that, I thought for sure she’d retire with Tottenham. It looks like this may not be the case – BBC’s Emma Sanders has reported that Ash is in talks with Leicester City to sign on a permanent transfer.

Emma Sanders hardly ever gets it wrong, so it sure seems like this is going to happen. If it does, I’ll be heartbroken. Ash has been with the club since 2017, when we were promoted to the WSL 2. Her journey from primary school teacher to one of the best fullbacks in the WSL is nothing short of legendary. She’s the fan favorite of fan favorites, and judging by her moniker of “team mum” she’s a key figure in the dressing room. I’ll never forget the time I got to see her play live – it was over 90 degrees in Louisville and most of the team looked sluggish, jet-lagged and dead on their feet in a preseason match. But true to form, Ash was still giving 110%, nailing everything she tried offensively and defensively.

Ash is 32 years old now, and it’s fair to say she’s declined a bit from those standout seasons under Rehanne Skinner (though to be fair, just about everyone declined in Vilahamn’s second season). I was eager to see what she could do under a new, better manager, and even though she hasn’t hit spectacular heights under Martin Ho so far, I still thought there was plenty of room for her in the squad. Yes, we’ve brought in a new fullback in Hanna Wijk, but things are not looking great on the fullback front – Amanda Nildén has looked exhausted since November, Josefine Rybrink is probably a centerback, Araya Dennis is still quite young and likely needs a loan, Martin doesn’t seem to trust Charli Grant, and Ella Morris will be out for a while longer while she rehabs her ACL injury. It doesn’t feel like enough. If the club is moving on Ash and only bringing in Wijk, I have to ask what the hell they’re doing.

But if it’s Ash herself driving a move, I certainly can’t fault her. Leicester City is closer to home for Ash, and if she wants constant playing time, it’s a good destination. She’s still a perfectly solid WSL-level fullback, and if she does go to Leicester City I’m sure she’ll shine for them for a few years yet to come. I’ll just be over here crying in the corner, trying to prepare myself to bid goodbye to one of my favorite players of all time and a club legend to boot.