“I’m ready for this, I’m happy to be part of this journey” - Caitlin Dijkstra

The 27-year-old defender will join us this summer following the expiry of her contract with VfL Wolfsburg, embarking on a new chapter of her already extensive career that has seen her lift a number of silverware in the Netherlands.

Beginning her career at Ajax, progressing to FC Twente before moving to Germany to join the She Wolves for the last three years, she feels ready to make her switch to England to join us and take part in the Women’s Super League.

“I’m really happy… I have almost no words for it,” she smiled as she spoke as a Spurs player for the first time. “It is not an easy to make a choice because it is always difficult.

“But, after the conversations, I already felt like I am ready for this and I’m happy to have this opportunity with this club. So, then I felt it is the right choice and I will do this.

Asked about the impact Head Coach Martin Ho made, Caitlin added: “You talk a bit about the way you play football and that's also why I decided to come here to Spurs. I like his vision, how he wants to play football and I think I'm totally fit in that.

“I'm a player who wants to achieve all the big things. I want to be successful with the team, to show what they showed this season, to keep growing and show more and more. I'm really happy that I can be a part of that journey.”

A composed centre-back, the Netherlands international has played the last two seasons in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg and that included appearances in the UEFA Women’s Champions League – and she spoke about the importance of competing at the very top of Women’s football.

“The two years I had at Wolfsburg, I was growing month-by-month, day-by-day. Now, I'm 27 years old, I had also some injuries at Wolfsburg - it's hard, but you get mature of it. Now, I'm a better person mentally, physically and I'm stronger, especially the experience with the Champions League.

“It's at the highest level, so you have to be on. Every game is a final and you have to be on your top because, if not, then you know you're going to lose the game.

“I'm really thankful that I had the chance to play seasons with Wolfsburg but now, I'm happy that I'm here. A new challenge in one of the best leagues in women's football, where every week is a challenge and I can't wait for that.”

So, what can you expect from our newest arrival next season?

“What you see is what you get,” Caitlin told us, talking about the type of player she is. “They said most of the time the Dutch are quite direct, I can be also like that. On the pitch, I like to play football.

“I'm a centre-back, but I like to play tiki-taka, like to make a goal that starts from the back, go through the midfield and to the forward areas, then score a goal that you are all together and make the goal together.”