Hamano joins on loan

We have reached agreement for Maika Hamano to join us on loan from Chelsea for the remainder of the season.

Maika said: "Watching the team this season, I really felt they’ve been playing some great football and I thought if I joined this team, I could develop a lot as a player.

“I want to show fans the connection with my team-mates and exciting plays. At the end of the day, football is about winning and I’ll do my best to contribute to the team’s success.”

Our Head Coach Martin Ho, said: “We are pleased to welcome Maika to Tottenham Hotspur. Maika is a technically gifted and intelligent attacking player who brings creativity, movement and composure in the final third. She has experience at the highest level and will add quality and depth to our attacking options.

“This is a good opportunity for Maika to continue her development in a demanding environment, and we are looking forward to working with her for the remainder of the season.”

The 21-year-old forward started her career at Cerezo Osaka Sakai before joining Japan’s top-flight side INAC Kobe Leonessa at just 17 years old in 2021, where she made her breakthrough that season, featuring in 16 league games as they finished eight points clear at the top of the WE League table.

The following term saw the young Japanese forward make seven appearances for the defending champions, where she netted two goals in that period, before making the move to England to join Chelsea in January, 2023. She was immediately loaned to Swedish side Hammarby IF for that season, making 17 league appearances and scoring seven goals in the Damallsvenskan.

A versatile attacker capable of playing across the frontline, Maika made her Barclays Women’s Super League debut in a 3-0 win over Bristol City in December, 2023 and netted her first WSL goal against Aston Villa in April, 2024, making eight appearances in 2023/24.

Featuring 30 times for the Blues the following campaign, scoring six goals in all competitions, including two in the Women’s Champions League, she has racked up 45 games in total since moving to England – adding seven to the tally this term.

On the international stage, the energetic forward made her senior debut in October, 2022, before featuring once in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup a year later.

Maika was then named in the squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the summer and, at the beginning of this season, was amongst the goals in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup as Japan won the tournament – playing alongside Tōko Koga on both occasions.