The season-long loan of Nikola Karczewska combined with Beth England’s injury and subsequent surgery has left Tottenham Hotspur Women in a difficult situation. To the point where Ellie Brazil, who missed the majority of last season due to an ACL injury, is the most seasoned player at the tip of the spear, Spurs moved from having a reasonably deep striker position to being dangerously thin.

Spurs have now taken action after having to do something. Mostly, that is. sort of? Zhang Linyan, a Chinese international attacker, has been recruited by Spurs Women on a season-long loan from Super League club Wuhan Jianghan University, the club announced today on its website.

Prior to their elimination in the group stage of the World Cup this summer in New Zealand and Australia, Zhang, a full-time international for China, started each of China’s three matches. While on loan with Grasshopper Club Zurich last season, Zhang routinely began at the No. 9 position in a front three for her country, primarily playing as an attacking left winger. (I genuinely didn’t anticipate using the phrase “Grasshopper” in football-related articles this month, but here we are.)

But there’s a catch. Zhang won’t join Spurs until after the Asian Games are over, which end on October 8 in Hangzhou. She could so miss at least the opening two games of Tottenham, at Chelsea on October 1 and at home against Bristol City on October 8, and possibly more if she requires further time to adjust and become familiar with the system.

Even though Zhang isn’t a pure striker, Spurs could probably use any potential supply of goals at this stage with England out indefinitely. It’s going to be an interesting season because, under Robert Vilahamn, Spurs should be playing a totally different kind of football, but many of the clubs surrounding them have improved significantly through the transfer window, and Spurs’ summer appears, at first glance, to be very uninspiring. I’m hoping Zhang can assist with that. Eventually.