Tottenham 'agree £5m deal' for Cristiano Ronaldo slayer as Thomas Frank green lights next transfer

Tottenham Hotspur are set to reinforce their defensive ranks with the £5m capture of Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai, according to a report.

The Lilywhites have technically already made two signings in the summer window, although those deals were simply converting Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel's loans into permanent stays.

As a result, head coach Thomas Frank is yet to bring in a proper new face since taking the reins from Ange Postecoglou, but Spurs' transfer chiefs have been working to rectify that.

According to a report from football.london, Tottenham have now struck a £5m deal to sign 2004-born defender Takai, who is expected to be a part of Frank's first-team squad in the 2025-26 season.

Kawasaki Frontale are currently in the middle of their J1 League campaign, but Takai will supposedly depart imminently in order to link up with Frank's squad in time for pre-season.

Who is soon-to-be Tottenham defender Takai?

Emerging from the Kawasaki Frontale youth system, Takai is a 6ft 3in centre-back who has already made 78 senior appearances for the Japanese club across all competitions.

The 20-year-old has registered four goals and one assist in that time, and he has won one Japanese Cup and one Japanese Super Cup during his time in his homeland.

Takai was also a stalwart of the Kawasaki starting XI that reached the final of the AFC Champions League earlier this year, playing the full 90 in a 3-2 semi-final win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr before a 2-0 loss to Al-Ahli in the final.

At international level, Takai made his senior debut for the Japan national team in September and has now won four caps for the Samurai Blue, prior to which he also represented his country at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Tottenham technical director Johan Lange and his team were reportedly the ones who unearthed the 20-year-old, and Frank has also given the thumbs-up to a deal for a player who is viewed as capable of taking the giant leap to Premier League football.

Frank to assess two teenage Tottenham defenders in pre-season

The report adds that as things stand, Takai is set to enjoy a debut season for Tottenham in the 2025-26 season and will not be immediately loaned out by the Lilywhites.

However, Frank will run the rule over the Japan international in pre-season, just as he will with Croatian protege Luka Vuskovic, whose arrival will soon be made official.

Tottenham announced back in 2023 that they had agreed a deal for Vuskovic to join from Hajduk Split when he turned 18 in 2025, and the goalscoring centre-back will also be given a chance to force his way into the first team this summer.

Vuskovic has impressed during two separate loan spells with Polish outfit Radomiak and Belgian side KVC Westerlo since his move to Tottenham was announced, and numerous clubs are said to be interested in another temporary deal for the teenager if he is not deemed ready for first-team football in North London.