Tottenham signing Takai is 6ft 4in center-back that Cristiano Ronaldo has closed

Just as references go, keeping Cristiano Ronaldo still is not bad.

That is exactly what Kota Takai, the exciting Japanese center-back that signs the second signature of the Thomas Frank ERA, managed in April.

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Towering defender Takai stood in line in front of J-League-Outfit Kawasaki Frontale against Ronaldos Al-Nassr In the semi -final of the AFC Champions League Elite.

It is Asia’s version of the Champions League and the most prestigious competition in that part of the world.

After seeing the old Chinese team Shanghai Shenhua van Didier Drogba in the last 16 and Qatari-Kant al-Sadd, it was the formidable front of Al Nassr through extra time in the quarters in the quarters Ronaldo” Sadio mane And Jhon Duran on the next four.

But the 20-year-old Takai used the task well, with only Mane of the Trio network when Kawasaki came 3-2 in Jeddah.

It wasn’t how the script should go.

This was intended as the triumphant payment of the massive editions of Al-Nassr in recent years and their first final performance in 30 years.

But instead, it was Takai and Co who went to the showpiece three days later, while Ronaldo visibly looked shocked when he had missed a late chance.

Kawasaki lost the last three days later to Ivan Toney’s Al-AhliSaudi Pro League Rivals to Al-Nassr.

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Nevertheless, Takai’s exploits were sufficient to attract the attention of the technical director of Spurs, Johan Lange and his staff.

Standing on 6ft 4ins long, is the aggressive young center-back that can play on the right or left side in the middle of the defense to become a member of Spurs next month.

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A fee of £ 5 million has been agreed with Kawasaki, which is a record costs for a Japanese player from the J-League.

Most Trail Fans will never have heard of Takai, but the expectation is that he is part of the first team team instead of being lent this period.

Frank and his coaching staff will of course judge him in the summer and make a final judgment about it.

After all, Spurs are stacked in the middle – with six already at the club and the Croatian teenage sensation Luka Vuskovic that will also be connected this summer – even though there is this term Champions League football.

But Takai’s relative experience in such a tender age has given Spurs the confidence that he can be involved from the start.

Defender born in Yokohama already has four performances for Japanall come in World Cup qualificationsAnd already has 78 senior competitions under his belt.

Takai, who will be 21 in September, was crucial for Kawasaki who won the Japanese Super Cup last year and was named the young player of the year of the competition.

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The Spurs -Hierarchy has convinced those achievements Takai can become a member of the clubThe creepy group of young talent that includes Lucas BergvallArchie Gray and the first signing of the summer, Mathys Tel.

Takai’s favorite shirt number would be No2, of which Spurs has had available since the Irish full-back Matt Doherty The club left two years ago.

If and when the young person bows his Premier League, he becomes the 16th Japanese player who does this in the footsteps of Kaoru MitomaShinji Kagawa and Junichi Inamoto.

His conquest stems the recruitment of Spurs from the Far East of recent times, after the signing of last year of the South Korean Starlet Yang Min-Hyeok, who went to QPR on loan in the second half of the season.

Of course Spurs has recently had the most famous Asian player in the last ten years Son Heung-MinAlthough he could leave the club this summer.

If Takai even has a fifth of the impact of Schipperzoon on Spurs, then the Noord -Londers will consider him a hell of a bargain.

Takai’s career so far

Here is a look at the career of Kato Takai so far …

Youth career

• River FC, 2009–2011
• Kawasaki Frontale, 2011-2022

Senior career

• Kawasaki Frontale, 2022-2025

Statistics

• Performances – 78
• Goals – 4
• Assistes – 1
• Yellow cards – 12
• Red cards – 0

International career