Why Johan Lange feels Kota Takai is already prepared for Tottenham step-up
It was Tottenham’s technical director, Johan Lange, who identified Kota Takai, with the Dane feeling that the Japanese defender had the attributes to make the step up to the Premier League.
Players very rarely move from the J-League straight to the Premier League, with Japanese players usually landing in Germany or Belgium when they arrive in Europe.
However, that will not be the case for Takai, who is expected to join Tottenham in a £5m deal from Kawasaki Frontale.
The 20-year-old has already been capped four times at the international level but now faces a monumental step up to a side which will be in the Champions League next season and hopes to compete in the top end of the Premier League.
Why Johan Lange was keen on signing Kota Takai for Tottenham
Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has revealed that the young defender was identified by Spurs technical director Johan Lange, who was particularly impressed by the player’s ability to play on either side of central defence.
Lange allegedly felt that Takai was capable of making the step up to the best league in the world, following in the footsteps of Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and Destiny Udogie, who have all thrived since their move to N17.
Gold reveals that the signing was greenlit by Thomas Frank, and the expectation is that the Japan international will remain with the Spurs squad rather than being loaned out.
This is because the Danish coach is keen to assess the defender in training during pre-season.
Takai arrives with much more experience than Lucas Bergvall or Archie Gray
Gold points out that compared to Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, Takai arrives with a lot more experience under his belt, having tasted football in high-pressure environments.
Not only has he already played 78 senior club matches, but he has also featured for Japan in World Cup qualifiers and was part of Japan’s squad for last summer’s Olympics.
The centre-back also played a major role in Kawasaki winning the Japanese Super Cup in 2024 and was named the league’s Young Player of the Year last season.
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