Tottenham tipped to loan out defender Kota Takai to the Championship during the January transfer window
Kota Takai arrived at Tottenham Hotspur with a big reputation in a £5m deal from J-League 1 side Kawasaki Frontale in the summer transfer window.
The defensive prospect broke down in an intense training session under Thomas Frank back in July. Later that month, he sustained a plantar fascial injury in training. As a result, the Japanese defender has spent the last two months on the sidelines, delaying his Tottenham debut.
Kota Takai has recently returned to training and will take some time to regain full fitness. The 21-year-old is expected to see some action after October’s international break, but his situation could come under scrutiny in January.
Ian Darke tips Tottenham to loan out Kota Takai to Championship in January
Takai would have hoped to make an instant impression on Thomas Frank at Tottenham, but an ankle injury sustained at the end of July denied him the opportunity. The injury has put him behind in terms of fitness as compared to his teammates, and it will take him some time to get back to speed.
The Japanese talent should find it difficult to clock regular minutes once he gets back to full fitness. This is because the north London club’s central defensive unit is well-stocked with options in the form of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Ben Davies. Radu Dragusin is on his comeback trail after missing the last seven months of action due to an ACL injury.
Keeping the current situation in mind, renowned football commentator and analyst Ian Darke believes a loan move to the Championship would benefit Takai.
“I’m a great believer in loaning players out, so I think loaning to a club further down in the Premier League or more probably in the Championship would only do Takai good,” Ian Darke exclusively told Tottenham News.
“I’m not a great believer in young players sitting around on the bench. They’re going to learn way more in match situations at a decent level.
“He’ll play in the Carabao Cup or something like that, but that’s it, isn’t it? He’s not going to be used in the Premier League.”
Spurs must loan out Takai in January
Tottenham loaned out several young talents during the summer transfer window and many of them have been thriving with their respective clubs. One classic case is that of Luka Vuskovic, who has made an immediate impact on loan at HSV Hamburger. The defender has been called up to the Croatian senior team for the upcoming international break on the back of his strong start to life in the Bundesliga.
The Hotspur Way chiefs must copy that blueprint and choose a sensible loan destination in the Championship for Takai. The centre-back will certainly need regular minutes once he returns back from injury, but given Frank is blessed with options in his squad, a loan move in the Championship would suffice when the transfer window reopens in the New Year.
