Tottenham tipped to send defensive prospect Kota Takai on loan in the January transfer window
Tottenham Hotspur made a couple of defensive acquisitions during the summer transfer window. Kevin Danso’s loan move from RC Lens got automatically turned into a permanent deal at the start of June. In addition, Spurs also splashed £5m to sign young defender Kota Takai from J-League 1 club Kawasaki Frontale.
Kota Takai has been unfortunate since arriving in England from Japan in July. The youngster broke down in an intense training session, before suffering a plantar fascial injury in training. The Japanese international has recently returned to training and could see some action after October’s international break.
However, given how well-stocked Spurs’ defensive unit is, the 21-year-old faces a battle to get regular minutes under head coach Thomas Frank.
Kota Takai could be loaned out in January
Tottenham sent a handful of players out on loan during the 2025 January transfer window. Academy product Alfie Dorrington joined Scottish club Aberdeen, while South Korean talent Yang Min-hyeok spent the second half of last season on loan with Queens Park Rangers.
The Lilywhites must take the same approach in the upcoming winter window, loaning out a few players who are struggling to secure regular minutes here. And reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham thinks a loan move for Kota Takai could be best for all parties involved.
“He’s had this injury and we’re already in October, I genuinely think I’m more realistic plan for him is that he builds up his fitness from now till January and then goes on loan,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“He goes on loan and then we just see what we’re working with again, next pre-season, next summer. So, you’ve got to remember the whole time Radu Dragusin is coming back as well, and he’ll rightly be in front of Takai for game time.”
Tottenham must decide to loan out Takai if Radu Dragusin recovers fully from ACL injury
Radu Dragusin has spent more than nine months out after sustaining an ACL injury. The big Romanian is now in his comeback trail, having started training with his teammates since last month. Frank, his coaching staff and medical department simply cannot rush him back into action after such a serious injury.
The north London club snubbing Romanian football association’s plea to include the defender in the upcoming international games show how seriously they are with regards to Dragusin’s recovery and fitness. Should Dragusin get the green signal from the medical department to play later this month or in November, Frank must then decide on Takai’s immediate future.
If Dragusin recovers fully from a serious knee injury and starts getting minutes regularly, it would then make sense for Takai to go out on loan in January. Our club bosses have to try their best to pick the right loan destination for the Japanese prospect, and a move to a Championship club should help him to get acclimatized to the demands of English football.
