July 08, (THEWILL) — Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of Japanese centre-back Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale for a reported fee of £5 million.
The 20-year-old has signed a five-year contract and is expected to play a senior role under new manager Thomas Frank during the 2025/2026 campaign.
Takai has four international caps for Japan and was voted the J.League’s best young player in 2024, having impressed with his aerial presence and positional discipline.
Takai becomes the second incoming player since Frank’s appointment, following the permanent arrival of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
Spurs negotiated the fee for the French forward down from £50 million to £30 million after a productive six-month loan spell last season. Tel’s performances under interim management during the latter half of the campaign convinced the club to pursue a long-term deal.
The move for Takai follows the recent confirmation of Kevin Danso’s switch to Tottenham, with the Austria international completing his previously agreed transfer.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Croatian defender Luka Vušković has officially joined the squad after spending last season on loan with Belgian side Westerlo, where he scored seven goals from centre-back.
Tottenham remain active in the transfer market and are reportedly targeting further reinforcements in attacking areas. Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze and West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus are among those being considered.
Both players are viewed as high-impact options capable of improving the creativity and goal output in Frank’s evolving squad.
While Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has also attracted interest, the Cameroon international is said to favour a move to Manchester United.
Given the player’s position, Frank is not currently prioritising a reunion with the former Brentford man, focusing instead on alternative targets to strengthen Spurs’ attacking line.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
