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Takai is regarded as one of Japan’s most promising talents, and was named Japan’s Young Player of the Year in 2024. Still just 20 years old, he already has four senior international caps to his name and is expected to play a first-team role under Thomas Frank next season.

Speaking publicly for the first time since signing, the defender highlighted his positional versatility and wealth of early-career experience as his best attributes.

"My position is centre-back,” he explained, speaking in his native Japanese via Tottenham’s Instagram page. “I can play either side - right or left.”

He was promoted to Kawasaki Frontale’s first team in 2022, debuting in an 8-0 win over Guangzhou shortly after. Already with 60 senior league appearances to his name - the most recent of which came just three days ago - he is prepared to hit the ground running in N17.

"I played in the match with Kawasaki Frontale in the J-League on Saturday and I got on the plane the next day and I'm here today, now.

He added that the J-League’s quality had prepared him well for life in England: "The J-League has very high intensity, and its level is high. I won the Young Player Award last year and I was very happy.

“I joined Team Japan. It was always my dream. I remember I had goosebumps when I went on the pitch for the first team as part of the national team.”

A lifelong Premier League fan, he is looking forward to making his Lilywhites debut, which could come as early as next Saturday as Spurs face Reading in their first preseason friendly.

"I've always watched the Premier League a lot, since I was little. At Spurs, my first aim is to be on the pitch for a match and do my best.

"I was born in Kanagawa, Japan. I've always played football since my childhood. The reason why I love football is because as a team we can improve our skills together.”

The arrivals of assistants Justin Cochrane, Chris Haslam and Andreas Georgson and analyst Joe Newton had previously been confirmed by the club, shortly after Frank's appointment last month.

While negotiating the terms under which he would join Spurs, Frank was said to be adamant that Cochrane follow him to Hotspur Way despite Brentford being keen to make the England coach their full-time manager.

Cochrane, who is extremely highly rated, instead opted to continue working with Frank and, in doing so, return to the club where he spent time with the academy.

Matt Wells, who served under Ange Postecoglou, will remain at the club as another first-team assistant coach to Frank.

Spurs have now also confirmed the appointments of Fabian Otte as first-team goalkeeper coach, who has left Liverpool, and Cameron Campbell as first-team individual development coach from RB Leipzig.

Frank will also be supported by Stuart Lewis and Dean Brill, who have been promoted from roles with the Academy. Stuart will serve as first-team academy transition coach, while Dean will assist Otte as goalkeeping coach.

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Sport | Football

Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal make Madueke bid, Eze twist; Chelsea eye Kudus; Guehi to Liverpool; Man Utd latest

Summer window ramping up with July underway

Transfer talk: Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Mohammed Kudus could all be on the move this summer

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George Flood

Transfer news LIVE!

The second summer transfer window is heating up nicely now we’ve entered July, with plenty of major deals being worked on. Arsenal are rumoured to have bid for Noni Madueke at Chelsea amid talks over a huge move for Eberechi Eze, having also taken an interest in Hugo Ekitike amid the ongoing stalemate over Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres. The Gunners are said to have made a new offer for Cristhian Mosquera amid fresh links to Nico Williams and Morgan Rogers, with Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga all joining.

Manchester United are believed to have made contact over Ollie Watkins in case Rasmus Hojlund leaves, though been warned that Bryan Mbeumo could yet stay at Brentford. Chelsea are preparing to seal the signings of both Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens after medicals, though it appears that will not stop them from rivalling Tottenham for a cut-price deal for West Ham star Mohammed Kudus.

Liverpool look to have been handed a major new boost over Alexander Isak as they enter advanced talks over Marc Guehi and also look at Ekitike and Victor Osimhen, while Richarlison is poised to leave Spurs. Follow the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip live below!

Latest transfer news headlines

Kudus becomes Spurs' top priority

Tottenham Hotspur have named Mohamed Kudus their top priority.

According to reports, they believe he will be available for £60m despite his £85m release clause.

The player has also been offered to Chelsea and Manchester United. The Blues are thought to be carefully considering a deal.

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Bayern 'gather information' on Luis Diaz

Bayern Munich are big fans of Liverpool’s Luis Diaz.

In the past days, they have ‘gathered all the information’ they need to execute a deal.

According to Sky Germany, Liverpool will let him leave for the right price.

AP

Rodrygo 'perfect fit' for Arsenal

Arsenal reportedly consider Real Madrid winger Rodrygo the perfect fit on the left wing.

They will hold fresh talks around a deal after the Club World Cup, and Real are only keen to let him leave for a fee of £77m.

Noni Madueke is also a target for the Gunners and is available at a much lower price point, but is not thought to be well suited to their needs.

Rodrygo was left on the bench for Real’s 1-0 win over Juventus today as the club look to protect him ahead of a potential move.

London Standard

Chloe Kelly confirms permanent City exit

Chloe Kelly has left Manchester City upon the expiration of her contract.

She spent the second half of last season on loan at Arsenal, returning to form and winning the Champions League in the process. She is also part of the Lionesses squad for this summer’s European championships.

In an announcement posted to her Instagram page, she wrote: “Over and Out.

“I want to take this moment to acknowledge the good in my time at City. The unwavering support from the fans and the relationships formed with the girls and wider support staff, you’ve helped shape me to become the person I am today, I’ll be forever be grateful to those people.

“Memories created and lessons learned. All [stories] should have happy endings, now it’s time to look to the future…

“Love to all, CK.”

REUTERS

Olivier Giroud spotted in France ahead of Lille switch

Former Chelsea and Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has been spotted in Lille ahead of completing his move from LAFC to LOSC.

Juventus to sign Jonathan David

Jonathan David is close to agreeing terms with Juventus after the Italian giants proposed a new contract to the player today.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal is ‘on’.

The Canada international scored 16 Ligue 1 goals fro LOSC Lille last season, assisting a further five. He made 32 appearances.

Juventus will face Real Madrid in the Club World Cup round of 16 at 8pm BST. Follow that match LIVE HERE with Standard Sport!

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SIGNED: Semenyo extends Bournemouth deal

Antoine Semenyo has signed a contract extension which will keep him at Bournemouth through 2030.

It is a huge deal for the Cherries, after the player had courted transfer interest from a variety of Premier League sides in the early stages of the window.

Semenyo said: “I’ve grown so much at the club, both on and off the pitch, and I’m really happy to have signed ahead of returning for pre-season.

“From the fans to the staff and my teammates, I can’t speak highly enough of the people around the club. It’s a great place to be and I’m excited to get back to Bournemouth and continue the hard work with the new season just around the corner.”

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Bayern Munich confirm new Jamal Musiala shirt number

Jamal Musiala looks to be staying put at Bayern Munich.

The German is under contract until 2030, and was today bestowed the honour of the No10 shirt.

He has scored 63 goals in 205 Bayern Munich appearances since joining from Chelsea’s academy to Bavaria in 2019.

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Villa land Turkish target

Yasin Ozcan has joined up with Aston Villa after signing a pre-contract agreement in February.

The 2006-born defender arrives from Turkish Super Lig outfit Kasimpasa, for whom he made 90 league appearances since graduating from the club’s academy in 2022.

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Arsenal 'close to agreement' with Gyokeres

Arsenal are close to agreeing a deal with Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Their pursuit of the striker has been long and protracted, but a deal now seems to be imminent, according to L’Equipe.

Andrea Berta has reportedly earmarked him as a No1 striker target this summer, and they are now close to agreeing a contract with the player.

Reaching an agreement with the club could prove more challenging, though, as Sporting do not seem keen to let him leave.

AFP via Getty Images

Latest updatesOlder updates

Similarities to Manchester United-bound Brentford star are striking, making West Ham forward an ideal signing to kick-start new era

Transfer target: Both Tottenham and Chelsea are interested in a deal for West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus

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Sam Tabuteau

COMMENTS

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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It's been a rather understated start to life at Tottenham for Thomas Frank.

Transfer interest in Eberechi Eze has not materialised into a formal bid, while summer signings Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso, whose loans were made permanent last month, are players already familiar to Spurs fans.

Frank is looking for a statement signing to begin his Tottenham tenure, and he could well have found his man in Mohammed Kudus, a player who draws striking similarities to the jewel of his crown at Brentford, Bryan Mbeumo.

The West Ham winger is attracting interest from Spurs and although he won't force a move away, there's an appetite to make the switch.

Kudus, who has scored 19 goals in 80 appearances for the Hammers, endured a difficult campaign as Graham Potter’s side sank to 14th last season, but the 24-year-old has shown across two years in east London that when he wants to, he can decide games at the highest level.

The Ghanaian is an explosive presence off the right-hand side, able to cut in and drive for goal. His directness and conviction in the attacking third is similar to that of Mbeumo, who had been linked with a move to Tottenham but looks to be heading to Manchester United instead.

After seven years as head coach at Brentford, Frank is looking for some familiarity to help him navigate his first season at Tottenham. He'll see Kudus in much the same mould as Mbeumo and will relish the chance to temper the at times fiery personality that Kudus exhibits into something productive.

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Mbeumo has admitted that during his first few years at Brentford, his deep-held competitive edge caused friction on the training ground.

He was erratic and unpredictable on and off the pitch and Frank sensed that. The Dane entrusted assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, who followed Frank to Tottenham, with channelling Mbeumo's potential by working with him intensively on his finishing.

That, coupled with his close friendship with team-mate Yoane Wissa, took Mbeumo's game to another level and he finished last season with 20 Premier League goals.

Frank, who's looking for a right winger to provide competition for Brennan Johnson, would hope to replicate that with Kudus, a player of undoubted ability but with a tendency to shrink in the face of increasing scrutiny.

Frank knows first-hand the individual quality that Kudus, sent off in angry scenes at Tottenham last season and hit with a five-game ban, can provide.

Familiarity: Thomas Frank has likely missed out on a reunion with Bryan Mbeumo at Spurs

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The Ghanaian scored a miraculous scissor-kick goal away at Brentford in his debut season in England as he hit the ground running following a £38million move from Ajax. It was the sort of opportunistic finish that exhibited confidence and quality.

First impressions are key, and Kudus could arguably not have made a more striking one on Frank.

It could yet be enough to sway Tottenham into making him the centrepiece of their attack, while for a project manager like Frank, the reward of helping Kudus realise his potential will be incredibly tempting.

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Tottenham are closing in on their second summer signing with Kota Takai set to join in a deal worth around £5million.

The highly-rated Japanese defender is set to join Thomas Frank's senior squad and will compete for first-team minutes next season rather than be sent out on loan.

Takai's current club, Kawasaki Frontale, have now confirmed the plan for the player's exit and subsequent move to the Premier League, suggesting that the 20-year-old could be at Hotspur Way next week.

A club statement read: "We would like to inform you that Kota Takai will be leaving the team at the end of the activity on Saturday, July 5 in order to complete the necessary procedures and preparations for a transfer to an overseas club.

"We will notify you further regarding future plans as soon as they are officially decided.

"After the match against Kashima Antlers in the 23rd round of the J1 League on Saturday, July 5, Kota Takai will be giving a speech to the supporters.

Eze have moved to the top of Spurs’ shortlist ahead of Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo

Major statement: Tottenham are looking to bolster their attack by signing Eberechi Eze

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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Tottenham are turning their attention to Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze as Thomas Frank looks to make a statement signing this summer.

Eze, who is believed to have a £68m release clause, guided Crystal Palace to the first piece of major silverware in the club’s history last season, scoring in the FA Cup final as Oliver Glasner’s side upset Manchester City at Wembley in May.

Eze's release clause has attracted a number of potential suitors, including long-term admirers Tottenham, to the 26-year-old's availability, and the lure of Champions League football at Spurs could be enough to convince Eze to join, with Palace still unsure whether they'll be granted access to the Europa League following their FA Cup win.

Tottenham looked at Eze last summer but never submitted a firm bid according to Palace chairman Steve Parish. They now, however, look set to return for the England international, with Frank keen to make a statement of intent after arriving from Brentford.

Spurs are in the market for a winger this summer, with Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo and Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo on their list of attacking options.

The Europa League winners have, however, been touted a fee in the region of £70m for Semenyo, with Bournemouth keen not to lose any more key players, while Mbeumo favours a move to Manchester United, who submitted a second bid of around £60m for the Brentford forward on Monday night.

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It makes Eze's release clause all the more enticing for Spurs as they look towards life without talismanic forward Heung Min-Son, who has one year left on his current deal.

Heung-min Son has entered the final year of his contract at Tottenham

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Spurs looking for attacking reinforcements

With Europa League-winning winger Brennan Johnson Tottenham's top scorer in the Premier League last season with 11 goals, Frank will be keen to address a misfiring frontline.

This will mean relying on striker Dominic Solanke to find fitness after an injury-hit first season at the club. But it will also mean injecting some creativity into a team that looked devoid of ideas for much of last term.

Frank was the beneficiary of Mikkel Damsgaard's renaissance last season, with the Danish midfielder producing 10 assists for a Brentford team that scored more goals than Tottenham despite operating at different ends of the financial spectrum, and he'll see Eze as the sort of versatile threat out wide and centrally that could elevate Tottenham's attack.

Tottenham already have options at left wing. But with Son's future uncertain, Richarlison struggling for fitness, and Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel - who signed permanently from Bayern Munich last week - and Mikey Moore all between 17 and 20 years old, there's room for Eze, who mainly plays as a number 10, to come in and make an impact.

Priorities may lie elsewhere, with Johnson the only senior option on the right wing. But Tottenham are long-term admirers of Eze and will view his release clause as an opportunity to sign one of the Premier League's most exciting players for a fraction of his market value.

Eberechi Eze starred as Crystal Palace won their first major piece of silverware

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Eze centrepiece of history-making Palace side

Despite a slow start to the season, scoring just twice in the league in the first half of the campaign, Eze, like Palace, came to the fore in 2025, with the midfielder putting up 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for the Eagles by the end of the season.

Eze's performances en route to a historic FA Cup win will go down in Palace folklore, with the former QPR man scoring in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final as they lifted the FA Cup against all odds.

Five goals in his final five league games, including a brace against Tottenham, helped Palace secure a 12th-placed finish, and it was that momentum that he carried with him into the showpiece Wembley final, finishing from Daniel Munoz's low cross to break the deadlock against the run of play.

Eze's quality has never been in question, and with his Palace legacy now established having made history at Wembley, he may feel the time is right for a new challenge.

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Mbeumo, who hit 20 Premier League goals this season, is widely expected to move in the second summer transfer window, with United submitting an opening offer worth £45million plus £10m in add-ons at the start of June.

United are reportedly now readying a second bid for the Cameroon international, but their pursuit of Mbeumo could be complicated by the fact that former Brentford boss Thomas Frank has joined Tottenham.

Spurs, who beat United in the Europa League final last month, are in the market for a new winger and have identified Mbeumo, who remains open to joining Tottenham, as a potential target alongside Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo.

Brentford will be glad to entertain a bidding war between the two teams, who both endured difficult domestic campaigns, and are in a strong bargaining position with the club holding the option to extend Mbeumo's contract, which expires in June 2026, by an additional year.

Brentford want to hold out for a fee close to the £62.5m United paid for Wolves forward Matheus Cunha earlier in the summer. Most importantly, however, they want strong payment terms, which would mean maximising the fee received up front.

That could cause problems for United, who had wanted to pay for Cunha over five years before eventually meeting Wolves' terms of three instalments over two seasons.

United's initial reluctance suggests they are not in a strong position to meet Brentford's terms, and that could open the door for Tottenham to move for Mbeumo.

Frank was the man who brought Mbeumo to England as a teenager in 2019, and the pair enjoy a close relationship, having helped take Brentford from the Championship to the Premier League before enjoying four successive seasons in the top-flight.

Mbeumo also knows Frank's backroom staff members at Spurs, Justin Cochrane (first-team assistant coach), Chris Haslam (head of performance and first-team assistant coach) and Joe Newton (first-team analyst), from his time at Brentford.

During the 2021-22 season, Brentford's first in the Premier League, Mbeumo underperformed his expected goals (xG), scoring just four times from an xG of 9.3.

Cochrane came to the club the following season, working closely with Brentford's attackers, and this season Mbeumo outperformed his xG, scoring 20 times from an xG of just 12.3. Without Cochrane's intervention, there is an argument to say that Mbeumo may not have become the player he is today.

Mbeumo looked set to hit new heights in the 2023-24 season after grabbing seven goals and four assists by early December, but an ankle injury sidelined him for the next four months of the campaign. That form was to be an early indication of what was to come.

The pair struck up an enviable partnership, hitting 39 goals between them in the league, but where Mbeumo stood out was in his ability to take charge of games, opening the scoring in 10 of Brentford's 38 top-flight matches.

A deeply competitive individual, Mbeumo was often seen as quite erratic during his early days at Brentford. Now, with the help of Wissa, who he said has helped him to control his emotions better, Mbeumo has been able to channel his competitive edge into something more productive.

United remain confident of wrapping up a deal for Mbeumo and are still frontrunners for his signature. Brentford, though, are prepared to wait for favourable terms before sanctioning a sale and Tottenham are ready to come in should their rivals struggle to agree a price.

Manchester United have reportedly improved their bid for Bryan Mbeumo, who is said to be leaning towards a move to Tottenham.

United saw an opening bid of £45million, plus £10m in add-ons, rejected by the Bees earlier in June, with the west London club looking for closer to £70m to sell the 25-year-old.

Thomas Frank's move across London to Tottenham saw Spurs enter the race for a player who scored 20 goals in the Premier League last season.

Journalist Duncan Castles reports on Thursday that United have now moved to wrap up a deal for Mbeumo by offering a deal worth in excess of £60m.

It remains to be seen how Brentford will respond to the bid, but Castles, speaking on ‘The Transfers Podcast’ reports that the Bees will do everything in their power to see their £70m asking price met.

Spurs, Newcastle and Aston Villa are all interested, and United are moving quickly to beat stiff competition for the forward, who is expected to leave.

Mbeumo has previously been thought to prefer a move to United over rival bidders, but Castles adds that he is now of the understanding that it is Spurs who could now be the more attractive option.

Tottenham have been fined £75,000 after homophobic chanting was heard from a section of their fans during the Premier League match against Manchester United last year.

Spurs were charged by the Football Association (FA) with two breaches of FA Rule E21 in relation to crowd control misconduct during their 3-0 win at Old Trafford on September 29, 2024.

It had been alleged that they “failed to ensure its spectators and or supporters (and anyone purporting to be supporters or followers) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and don’t use words or otherwise behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, indecent, or insulting way with either an express or implied reference to sexual orientation”.

Tottenham admitted both charges and were initially fined £150,000 in addition to an independent regulatory commission issuing a warning and providing an action plan, though that was later reduced to £75,000 on appeal.

Spurs were quick to condemn the homophobic chanting at Old Trafford after the game in September and vowed to take the strongest possible action against anyone identified as having taken part.

“The club is aware of abhorrent homophobic chanting from sections of our away support at Old Trafford today,” they said in a statement.

“The club will be working closely with the Police and stewards to identify anyone instigating or joining in with the chanting - we shall take the strongest possible action in accordance with our Sanctions and Banning Policy.

“We shall be continuing our work with our LGBTQ+ supporters’ association, Proud Lilywhites, to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans on matchdays.

“We are justly proud of our superb and loyal support, home and away. However, we all have a responsibility to act as ambassadors of Tottenham Hotspur and discrimination of any kind has no place at our club.”