![]() Dennis with Tottenham Hotspur in 2024 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Araya Marilyn Roxanne Dennis [1] | ||
Date of birth | 11 January 2006 | ||
Place of birth | London, England | ||
Position(s) | Forward, winger, defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Southampton (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) | ||
Youth career | |||
Arsenal | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2022–2023 | Arsenal | 0 | (0) |
2023 | → Watford [2] (dual reg) | 3 | (1) |
2023–2024 | → Crystal Palace (dual reg) | 20 | (2) |
2024– | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | (0) |
2025 | → Southampton (loan) | 9 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2022–2023 | England U17 | 10 | (0) |
2023– | England U19 | 11 | (3) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:42, 10 January 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:15, 3 December 2024 (UTC) [3] |
Araya Marilyn Roxanne Dennis (born 11 January 2006) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Tottenham Hotspur, and as a defender for the England under-19s. A product of the Arsenal Academy, she previously played on loan for National League side Watford, as well as Women's Super League 2 sides Crystal Palace and Southampton F.C..
Dennis is a product of the Arsenal Academy having scored 4 goals in 18 appearances for the academy team. [4] She trained with the Arsenal first team prior to a two month spell with National League South side Watford, under dual registration for the 2022–23 season, [5] where she featured in three games, scoring one goal. [2]
On 2 September 2023, Dennis joined Women's Championship club Crystal Palace on dual registration for the 2023–24 season, [5] and scored on her debut with the club the next day in a 2–1 win against Birmingham City. [6] In October, she was awarded the Women's Championship Goal of the Month, for her long-range effort from 35-yards out against Charlton Athletic. [7] [8]
In February 2024, having played at the 2nd and 3rd levels of women's football in England, Dennis signed a two-year contract with Women's Super League club Tottenham Hotspur in the top tier. [9]
On 2 October 2024, she made her senior debut for Tottenham in the opening group stage match of the 2024–25 League Cup against Charlton Athletic, coming on as a 67 minute substitute. [10] On 11 December, aged 18, Dennis scored her debut goal for the club in a 2–0 victory over Crystal Palace in the final group stage match, [11] helping Tottenham to secure a place in the quarter-finals. [12] Her performance was described as impressive by VAVEL and Spurs manager Robert Vilahamn. [13]
On 10 January 2025, Dennis joined Women's Championship club Southampton on loan for the remainder of the 2024–25 Women's Championship. [14]
Dennis was part of the England under-17 team that played in the 2023 U17 Championship up until the semi-finals in May, where the youth team were defeated 3–1 by Spain. [9] [15]
On 20 September 2023, she scored her youth international debut goals for the England under-19s, with a brace in a friendly fixture against Denmark resulting in a 5–0 victory. [16]
In July 2024, Dennis featured in the 2024 UEFA Under-19 Championship for the under-19s, providing an assist for the final goal against Lithuania as a 70th minute substitute. [17] [18]
For 2025 U19 Championship qualification in November and December 2024, she featured as a defender in all first round matches against Turkey, [19] Italy, [20] and Poland . [21]
Dennis is a winger who contributes across the pitch. At the age of 17 she was described by Imeptus Football as a young talent who "displays an intelligence of the game way beyond her young age"; with the ability to easily escape tight spaces, draw opposition, and run channels. [22]
Crystal Palace described the forward as a fast-paced and "attack-minded right-sided player". [5] For England at youth level, she has covered at left-back from the right-wing position, [23] and played as a defender in the number 2 position. [19]
External video | |
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Crystal Palace
Individual
How about that! Araya Dennis levels on the stroke of half-time, from all of 35 yards.