MusaTottenham Hotspur have officially confirmed the signing of Netherlands international Victoria Pelova following her departure from Arsenal at the end of her contract.
The 27-year-old midfielder joined Arsenal in January 2023 and went on to make an impact at the club, recording two goals and six assists. She also helped the Gunners win the Women’s League Cup shortly after arriving, featuring as a second-half substitute in the final.
However, Pelova’s progress was disrupted by a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered ahead of the 2024-25 season. The setback ruled her out for much of the campaign before she returned to action in March 2025 and later played a part in Arsenal’s Champions League triumph in Lisbon.
Her limited recovery time and subsequent injury struggles meant she was unable to enjoy a consistent run of matches during the 2025-26 season.
Speaking to Tottenham’s official club media, Pelova said she was delighted with the move and immediately felt comfortable with the club.
“It feels nice to be here, I had a lovely welcome from everyone. When I had conversations with Martin [Ho], he was so good. It felt immediately right to go to Spurs,” she said.
Tottenham head coach Martin Ho also expressed his excitement over the arrival of the experienced midfielder, highlighting her technical ability and international pedigree.
“Victoria is a brilliant signing for us and someone who brings real quality, intelligence and top-level experience into our team,” Ho said.
“She is an established international player with the Netherlands, has played in major European competitions domestically and internationally, and understands what it takes to perform in high-pressure environments.
“What excites us is not only what she has already shown in her career, but also the belief we have that there is still much more to evolve in her game.”
Pelova also arrives at Spurs with considerable Champions League experience from her four-year spell with Ajax in Amsterdam. During her time with the Dutch giants, she made 84 appearances and scored 16 goals across all competitions, including European competition.
At international level, Pelova has earned 71 caps for the Netherlands since making her senior debut in 2018. She has represented her country at the Olympics in 2020, 2022 and 2025, as well as the 2019 and 2023 Women’s World Cups.
Meanwhile, Ecuador face Germany in a crucial Group E encounter, with their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stages hanging in the balance after collecting just one point from their opening two matches.
Germany, led by Julian Nagelsmann, have already secured their place in the next round. Having emerged as the tournament’s highest-scoring side so far, they will be looking to maintain their momentum ahead of the knockout stages.
As a result, Germany have decided against making wholesale changes to their starting lineup for today’s meeting with Ecuador.
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