Tottenham Hotspurs have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai, 20, for around ¥1 billion ($6.8 million). Once completed, it will be the largest ever fee for a Japanese player from the J-League. Identified by technical director Johan Lange, Takai is expected to be part of the North London club’s first-team squad rather than being loaned out.
Thomas Frank, who recently took over from Ange Postecoglou as head coach, will examine the defender closely when pre-season training starts in just over a fortnight to see how he fits into his plans. So, what kind of player are Spurs getting? Here’s a closer look at Takai and his short career so far.
What Kind of Player Is Kota Takai?
Takai is an accomplished defender who is comfortable playing as both a right-sided and left-sided center-half in a back four, though has also filled in at right-back for Frontale. He reads the game well, is confident in possession and approaches 1v1 situations with controlled aggression, rarely going to ground. At 192 centimeters, he’s a threat from corners, scoring two headers in the first half of the 2025 J-League season.
In some games, Takai has struggled against forwards with a physical presence, and he may take time to get used to the pace of the game in the Premier League. Yet while he is likely to start as a backup to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, in the long run, he could prove to be a smart acquisition by Tottenham.
Takai’s Breakthrough at Frontale
The 20-year-old Kanagawa Prefecture native made his debut for Frontale in the AFC Champions League at the age of 17 as his club hammered Chinese side Guangzhou 8-0 in April 2022. He soon became a first-team regular, and in 2024 was named the J-League’s Best Young Player. That same year, he played a starring role as Japan triumphed at the men’s football U-23 Asian Cup.
Takai impressed again at the Paris Olympics, where Japan — who decided not to include any overage players — were knocked out by eventual winners Spain at the quarterfinal stage in August. The following month, Takai won his first cap for the full national team as a substitute in a World Cup qualifier against China. He has played four times for his country, with his most recent appearance coming in the 6-0 thumping of Indonesia.
Prior to that game, Takai played a key role as Frontale reached the final of the AFC Champions League. One of the standout performances of his career so far came in the semifinal against an Al-Nassr side featuring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané and Jhon Durán. They eventually lost 2-0 to Al-Ahli Saudi FC in the final.
Former Frontale Players Thriving in Europe
In recent years, several players who started their professional careers at Kawasaki Frontale have prospered in Europe. This includes Kaoru Mitoma at Brighton and his former schoolmate Ao Tanaka, who was instrumental in Leeds United’s promotion to the top-flight. There’s also Hidemasa Morita, who has won two Primeira Liga titles with Sporting CP, four-time Scottish Premiership winner Reo Hatate of Celtic, and Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Ko Itakura, who is reportedly attracting interest from several Champions League clubs.
Ange Postecoglou manager of Tottenham Hotspur
Frank will be hoping Takai makes a similar impression at Tottenham, who will this season be playing in the UEFA Champions League. They qualified for the competition after defeating Man Utd 1-0 in the final of the Europa League. It was the club’s first major trophy in 17 years. The victory, though, wasn’t enough to keep Postecoglou in his job.
The Australian, who previously managed Yokohama F. Marinos, was fired due to the side’s poor league form. They finished 17th after losing 22 league games — the most defeats by a Premier League team in a season without getting relegated. Speaking about the decision to part ways with Postecoglou, Chairman Daniel Levy said, “Emotionally it was difficult, but we feel that we’ve made the right decision for the club.”
