Who is Kota Takai? Tottenham signing ready to step up in bid for immediate first-team role | OneFootball

Highly-rated Japanese defender, 20, set to become second signing of the Thomas Frank era at Spurs

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Confident without being arrogant, centre-back Takai has been targeting a move to Europe for many years.

On Kawasaki Frontale's website in 2023, he stated that his main ambition was to speak English fluently. His footballing idol? Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.

He'll have his sights set on getting the better of the Dutch defender when the two teams meet next season, such is his belief that he can challenge for a regular role at Tottenham.

Takai will be the second signing of Thomas Frank's reign as Spurs boss after Mathys Tel joined permanently from Bayern Munich. And like Tel, the Japanese international is expected to compete for first-team minutes next season.

Japanese football expert Dan Orlowitz, previously of the Japan Times, says it was inevitable that a player of Takai's ability would make the jump to a leading European league, though he admits he was surprised that Tottenham came in for him so soon.

"I think Tottenham is, let's be honest, a bit of a surprise in terms of the jump, but not a single person who's seen him play over the last couple of years is surprised that he is going to Europe. This was inevitable," Orlowitz tells Standard Sport.

A bold and pacey centre-back, Takai is aware of his own ability, and he's not afraid to flaunt it. That will be tested at Tottenham, where he'll be competing for minutes with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin. But his innate assuredness is a strong starting point.

"It's easier for players to go to England because of Japan's global success. Japan's global success has come because it has such fantastic grassroots development in terms of churning out player after player who are capable of coming to Europe," Orlowitz explains.

Takai is sure to have a strong Japanese following at Tottenham - @SpursJapan have 149,000 followers on X - cheering his every move.

Whether it is Karate, piano, swimming or juggling - he told Kawasaki Frontale's 2024 survey that as a kid, he juggled a ball a thousand times without dropping it - there is nothing Takai hasn't tried his hand at in the pursuit of a career in professional sport.

Takai, capped four times by Japan, eventually landed on football, and his bright future for club and country would suggest he was right to take that step.

"I don't think there's a sharp adjustment as far as getting physically ready for Europe,” Orlowitz explains.

"I feel like Japan is improving in terms of getting players physically ready to be able to compete in these leagues because they understand that is where a lot of these players are going."

Takai will become one of five Japanese players currently playing at a Premier League side and the 16th overall.