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Tottenham backed to revisit move for former star this summer as Champions League campaign beckons
Tottenham may explore a late move for Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga to comply with UEFA’s rules ahead of Champions League return
Tottenham Hotspur are preparing for the 2025/26 campaign with Thomas Frank in charge.
Now that a new head coach is at the helm, Spurs chiefs can now fully concentrate on rebuilding the squad. They will have to bring in quality players that fit into Thomas Frank’s style of play and principles.
Upgrading the starting XI will be the first and foremost priority, though the Lilywhites will need to add more depth to their squad to be able to compete across multiple competitions. Following their Europa League success in May, the North Londoners will also be participating in the UEFA Champions League. As a result, they will be under pressure to comply with UEFA’s rules in order to compete in the Champions League.
The rules state that Tottenham must have four ‘club-trained players’ in their squad, someone who has been on a club’s books for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21. Currently, they have just one in the form of goalkeeper Brandon Austin.
In order to comply with UEFA’s rules, Spurs have been linked with a move for former full-back Kyle Walker-Peters, who is currently on the books of Southampton but will become a free agent at the end of June. Another player who could aid Tottenham’s homegrown quota is Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga.
Japhet Tanganga is looking ever more likely to move away from Millwall this summer after it came to the fore that he has a release clause of £1.2million. The centre-back is set to enter the final year of his contract at Millwall, and keeping in mind his contractual situation and the reported release clause, it isn’t surprising that five Premier League clubs are eyeing the 26-year-old’s signature.
Former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson feels a deal to bring Japhet Tanganga back to White Hart Lane makes sense, but any business for him could happen late in the transfer window.
“It is a deal that makes sense, but I don’t think they’ll revisit old ground that quickly,” Paul Robinson exclusively told Tottenham News.
“There’s a reason that they let him go. I think he’s done excellently well at Millwall, and I, for one, was surprised when they let him go. And for the fee that they let him go at, I think he was a top-quality young player and fair play to him for wanting to go out and play regularly and play every week.
“But I think from Tottenham’s point of view, I think that ship’s sailed. I think they’ve moved on. They’re going to be looking at top-level players, as in Champions League players, now for next season.
“He would still be a good addition to the squad if he were in the squad, but unless recruitment towards the end of the window hasn’t been what they would have expected, I really can’t see that happening.”
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A product of the Tottenham academy, Tanganga joined Millwall on loan in January 2024. The Championship club signed the versatile defender on a permanent deal in July 2024, and he went onto enjoy a fantastic campaign at the Den. For his rock-solid displays at the back, the former England youth international was named as the club’s Player of the Year for 2024/25.
To fulfil the homegrown quota, it would not be a bad idea for Spurs to re-sign Tanganga. His £1.2million release clause at Millwall means he’d be a relatively low-risk acquisition for the North Londoners, adding quality depth to Frank’s defensive ranks ahead of their return to the Champions League. He can operate as both centre-back and full-back, adding further value to his name.
