Ange Postecoglou looks as though he is still positively impacting Tottenham from afar.
Daniel Levy made the brutal decision to axe Postecoglou and replace the Australian with Thomas Frank.
However, after lifting the UEFA Europa League and ending a 17-year trophy drought at Tottenham, Postecoglou appears to be the gift who keeps on giving following a recent transfer development.
Tottenham agree deal to sign Kōta Takai
Tottenham are widely reported to have agreed a deal to sign Kawasaki Frontale centre-back Kōta Takai for £5million, a record fee for a player from the J-League
And there is plenty of reason to suggest that Posteoglou might have been involved in this deal before he was dismissed in North London.
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The 59-year-old spent three and a half years in the J League as the manager of Yokohama F. Marinos. He left quite an impression after winning the league in 2019 and had a strong connection to the Japanese market.
Postecoglou then went on to develop several top Japanese players at Celtic, including Reo Hatate and Kyōgo Furuhashi.
The former Tottenham manager would have been well aware of Japan’s top talents, and it is therefore likely that he would have been the one to recommend that the Lilywhites sign Takai.
And it looks as though Levy has followed through on that potential recommendation even now that Postecoglou has left, which could indicate just how good Takai is.
Takai will be a good rotational option at Tottenham
There is no doubt that Frank will have a lot of fun with Takai over the next couple of years.
Indeed, while the defender is only 20 years old, he already has the stature and mentality of a senior player. Takai is right-footed but is comfortable playing as either a right or left centre half, which could come in handy if any Tottenham defenders leave this summer.
Furthermore, the youngster has already developed an acute awareness of his surroundings when on the pitch and is happy to put his body on the line when needed. This will be useful during the later stages of the UEFA Champions League if Spurs are looking to preserve a small lead.
Therefore, Takai could end up being one of the smartest moves that Tottenham have made in recent years.