Alex Morgan to leave Tottenham Women and return to United States in the new year

Tottenham Women have announced striker Alex Morgan will leave the club and return to the United States in the new year.

The USA international joined from Orlando Pride in September in a bid to regain fitness after giving birth to her first child in May.

The 31-year-old played the full 90 minutes for the first time since her return during the 3-1 win over Aston Villa, where she opened the scoring from the penalty spot, earlier this month.

That proved to be her final match for the club after Sunday’s trip to defending Women’s Super League champions Chelsea was postponed due to an outbreak of coronavirus in the Blues camp, before the league entered a winter break.

A statement on Tottenham’s official website read: “We can confirm that Alex Morgan will be returning to the United States in the New Year after the conclusion of the first half of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League season.”

Morgan, who made five appearances for the north London outfit in total and scored two goals, is expected to re-join Orlando after they retained her rights to play in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Morgan said: “I will be forever grateful to the club, my team-mates and Spurs supporters for taking such good care of me and my family.

“From the moment I arrived in London, I realised I was part of a first-class organisation, one that helped provide me the opportunity to immerse myself back into the game I love.

“Thank you to everyone who helped make this chapter in my soccer journey so special… COYS.”

Tottenham’s head of women’s football Heather Cowan said: “We were delighted at the start of the season when Alex chose us as her club to help regain fitness and take her first steps back into competitive football after giving birth earlier this year.

“It has been a pleasure to have Alex with us during this period and the whole squad has taken a lot from working every day with someone at the top of the women’s game.

“We wish Alex all the best for the future both at club and international level as she prepares to return back home with her family. She will always be welcome here at Spurs.”