Lenna Gunning-Williams, a forward for Tottenham Hotspur, has been acquired by Ipswich Town Women on loan for the entire season.
The 18-year-old, who last month signed her first professional contract with Spurs, is manager Joe Sheehan’s fifth summer recruit. The Blues overcame opposition from many Barclay’s Women’s Championship teams to make the addition.
Gunning-Williams joined Spurs when he was 16 years old, and in 39 appearances in the WSL Academy League, he scored 38 goals.
Her performance against Coventry United in the Continental Tyres League Cup in November, when she scored the fifth goal in a 5-1 victory, earned her a spot in the first team.
Later in the season, in a 3-1 loss to Manchester City, Gunning-Williams made her Women’s Super League debut.
In addition to her training and game-day obligations with the Blues, she will continue to train with Tottenham.
Vicky Jepson, senior assistant to the head coach of Tottenham, said on the website of the North Londoners: “We’re incredibly happy to have agreed on this chance for Lenna. She will continue to experience WSL training levels with us while simultaneously training and playing with Ipswich, participating in their game preparation sessions and matchdays. To do this, we are balancing her training schedule between clubs.
The goal is for her to play more minutes in matches so that she may continue to develop and mature as a young, talented Spurs player. “Ipswich have a great reputation for developing young international players,” the statement reads.
Prior to her career in football, Gunning-Williams was a popular child actor who played Jack in the CBBC series Jamie Johnson.
When Plymouth Argyle comes to the AGL Arena in Felixstowe on Sunday, the Blues’ newest addition, who will wear the number 19 shirt, appears certain to make her Town debut.