Could it be different from Yang Min-hyuk?
On the 24th (Korea time), the British Football London reported that "Tottenham has agreed to transfer with Kawasaki Frontale center-back Takai Gota (21)." The transfer fee is about 5 million pounds (approximately 9.2 billion won). This is an unprecedented amount in J-League history. Takai made a strong impression in the match against Al Nassr, where Cristiano Ronaldo, Mané, and Duran played.
Takai is a physically strong defender with a focus on his right foot, standing at 192 cm tall. He has played 28 matches this season as a regular and is already an "established prospect" with experience in A-matches. Japanese media Sporichi noted, "Takai will become the third Japanese center-back in the Premier League after Maya Yoshida and Tomiyasu," expressing expectations.
The problem lies with Tottenham's situation. They have an abundance of center-back resources: Romero, Van de Ven, Dragusin, and even Luka Buskovic. Although Takai will train together in the preseason under Coach Frank, whether he will remain in the first team is still uncertain. The possibility of a loan is also open.
However, the reaction from Tottenham fans is somewhat mixed. Following Yang Min-hyuk, some fans expressed surprise at another Asian prospect signing with an unfamiliar name. However, Tottenham reporter Alasdair Gold emphasized, "Takai is a young and talented player, like Lucas Bergvall, Udogie, and Sarr, who already has extensive professional experience. It is unreasonable to compare him to Yang Min-hyuk. He is an immediate asset for the first team."
Takai has also been selected for the Japanese national team and contributed to winning the Japanese Super Cup last year, being named "J-League Young Player of the Year." Particularly in the match against ACLE Al Nassr, he showcased excellent defense against Ronaldo, Mané, and Duran, attracting interest from European scouts. Tottenham plans to integrate him into the first team immediately during the preseason.
The issue is that Tottenham's defense is overloaded. Competitors such as Romero, Van de Ven, Dragusin, Danso, Davies, Phillips, Darlington, and Buskovic are numerous. Furthermore, the squad limitations for European competitions pose additional challenges. Only 22 out of the 31 players can be registered, and they must comply with homegrown rules, making a significant restructuring unavoidable.
There is no doubt about Takai's potential. However, it is uncertain whether he can secure a place in the rough environment of the English Premier League immediately. In many ways, it is true that he has relatively more experience than Yang Min-hyuk, but the gap is not substantial enough to justify a difference in treatment. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham, which has brought in Yang Min-hyuk and is considering a loan, will treat the Japanese defender differently.
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