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Kota Takai will arrive at Tottenham next month after completing a £5million deal from Kawasaki Frontale and he will join a centre-back department stacked with options.

After making Mathys Tel's loan a permanent £30million move to kick off the Thomas Frank era, Spurs have moved to sign up 20-year-old Takai for what is a J.League record fee for a Japanese player. Despite arriving on a relatively low price tag in Premier League terms, Takai, who turns 21 in September, comes in with far more experience than most of the north London club's younger signings of recent years.

The 6ft 3ins centre-back has 78 appearances under his belt already for Kawasaki and played a big role in them winning the Japanese Super Cup in 2024, on his way to being named the J.League's Young Player of the Year. Takai has also played 13 times in the AFC Champions League as a key part of the Kawasaki side that reached the final last month. He won plaudits for his performance in the 3-2 semi-final victory away against an Al-Nassr team featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran.

Takai has also played for Japan in four World Cup qualifiers so far - it would have been more but for an adductor injury suffered in October last year - and the youngster is being chosen in a squad containing mainly international team-mates currently playing away in Europe.

So while the price tag might be low, Takai has plenty of experience to back up his potential and is expected to become part of Frank's first team squad this season with the Dane and his coaching staff set to get a closer look at him next month in pre-season training after green-lighting the deal.

But what does the youngster's arrival mean for the others in a stacked centre-back department? In terms of senior players there is currently Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, the injured Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies. As a back-up, there is also technically Archie Gray, who had to learn quickly how to become a centre-back last season.

Then there is the highly-rated Luka Vuskovic, who is set to finally arrive at Spurs after turning 18 following loan spells from Hajduk Split in Poland and Belgium. The teenager, also 6ft 3ins, has also been racking up the experience with 61 senior appearances, including a remarkable 11 goals and four assists as a centre-back, and he made his senior Croatia debut this month.

After turning down Manchester City to make the move to Tottenham, the north London club are going to have to be wary of shipping Vuskovic straight out on loan and the message that sends him.

Then there is Ashley Phillips, who turns 20 this Thursday. He was signed from Blackburn in 2023 and has impressed on loan at Plymouth and then Stoke in the Championship, but has not yet looked like breaking into the first team set-up. The same could be said for 20-year-old academy product Alfie Dorrington, who at least got his Premier League debut last season against Southampton before heading off on loan to Aberdeen, where he won the Scottish FA Cup.

Then there are others in the academy looking to progress such as the versatile 21-year-old Dante Cassanova, who signed a new two-year deal last week, and young talents like 17-year-old Malachi Hardy and 16-year-old Junai Byfield.

The centre-back area is currently packed with players for the now and the near future. Some could leave with World Cup winner Cristian Romero linked with a move to La Liga but with uncertainty over whether anyone would pay the required price tag for the Europa League Player of the Season.

Spurs took up the option in Ben Davies' contract to extend it by another year but that does not rule out a move for the long-serving Welshman if something he wants arises, especially as Takai can also operate on the left on a centre-back pairing.

If Romero were to leave, Tottenham would likely bring in a big name replacement to ensure they have the required quality to compete in the Champions League.

That's because there are also injuries to take into account over the course of the campaign and Spurs certainly were not prepared for that last season. They lost so many centre-backs that 18-year-old midfielder Gray ended up being drafted into the middle of the defence for three full months of games every three days.

Tottenham will not want to allow a situation like that again and that could mean both Takai and Vuskovic being in and around the first team squad until at least January, particularly with Dragusin expected to be treated cautiously on his eventual return from a cruciate ligament injury.

For Phillips and Dorrington, barring a stunning pre-season that turns Frank's head, their futures look to lie elsewhere next season with contracts long enough that another loan could lurk on the horizon.

When it comes to Europe there are going to be some disappointed centre-backs as not all of them can fit into what would be a 22-man squad due to Spurs' club-trained issues.

Frank is going to start pre-season with a big squad while wanting new signings. He will need to make decisions aplenty on where it needs to be trimmed and strengthened and the centre-back department just got a whole lot busier.

Damola Ajayi is set to seal a season-long loan move to Doncaster Rovers within the next 24 hours after a season to remember at Tottenham.

The 19-year-old winger made a splash on his debut with an excellent goal in the Europa League group stage match against Elfsborg in January. It marked a memorable month for Ajayi as he had signed a new three-year contract with the club a couple of weeks beforehand.

Ange Postecoglou named Ajayi, who can play anywhere across the front line or in a more central role in midfield, on the bench five times in the Premier League last season, in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup once, and four more times in the Europa League, including in the final in Bilbao after he had helped his team on their way to the trophy.

The academy product will now head to newly-promoted Doncaster, who enjoy a strong relationship with Spurs, with development squad midfielder Matthew Craig having spent a successful loan spell there in the 2023/24 season, helping them to the League Two play-offs during that campaign.

Now Ajayi will be looking to build on his one remarkable experience of senior football by helping Rovers in League One as they look to push on in the division above.

It will technically be the third bit of Tottenham transfer business since Thomas Frank's arrival with Mathys Tel's loan move being made permanent with a £30million deal and Japan international centre-back Kota Takai about to seal a £5million move from Kawasaki Frontale.

Tottenham have added Koni De Winter to their shortlist for defender options should Cristian Romero leave the club this summer, it has been claimed.

Romero, 27, has been linked with a move to La Liga after admitting his desire to play in Spain before the end of his career. Romero, who has two years left on his contract, told Argentine journalist Gaston Edul on his TV show 'Los Edu': "I'd love to play La Liga. I'd love to, honestly.

"It depends on a lot of things. We'll see after the [English] championship is over. The truth is, I haven't spoken to my agent yet, but I’m open to anything. My goal is always to grow and go to new places to continue developing."

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has made no secret of wanting to sign Romero after claiming last week that he would be keen on bringing the Argentina international to the Spanish capital.

Speaking following Atletico's 4-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup last Sunday, Simeone was asked about bringing Romero to Wanda Metropolitano this summer. He replied, while smiling: "Do I want Cuti Romero? Obviously! He's a great player."

With Romero's future uncertain, Tottenham are eyeing up a potential replacement. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Genoa star De Winter is high up on their defender shopping list.

De Winter, 23, would be available for around £21.3 million-£25.6m this summer. The four-time Belgium international started his senior career at Juventus before moving to Genoa on a permanent deal in 2024.

He excelled for Genoa last season and there was talk that Juventus could bring him back to Turin. Everton, West Ham and Napoli are among the others that are interested in De Winter.

But Spurs, unlike Everton, West Ham Juventus and Napoli, would be able to offer Champions League football and the chance to perform in the Premier League.

Having experienced a taste of the Champions League during his time at Juventus, De Winter has ambitions of returning to Europe's elite tier competition in the future.

Speaking in an interview with The Mirror last month, De Winter said: "Yeah, this is really a dream of mine. You know, when you hear the song of the Champions League it is something special.

"I think I just want to take everything out of this football career that I'm building. I like the experience that I'm making, I have a lot of stories to tell."

Tottenham are interested in signing a new midfielder this summer, with Brentford captain Christian Norgaard the latest name to be linked with a move to north London.

The 31-year-old impressed with the Bees last campaign and had a huge influence in the middle of the park. Scoring six goals and assisting four more in 35 appearances, his strong tackling, tactical awareness and technical ability has earned himself the reputation of a decent Premier League player.

With Thomas Frank making the move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to replace Ange Postecoglou, links to the Dane are to be expected. With Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma both entering the final year of their contracts, though, Norgaard could be under consideration by Frank and Johan Lange this summer.

football.london's Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold was asked about the club's hunt for a new No.6 this summer in a recent Q&A and suggested Norgaard could be a player of interest. Gold said: "The problem with that role in particular is the arrival of Thomas Frank brings a reset of sorts in that the number six has to be someone who fits his system compared to Ange Postecoglou's.

"Spurs were already looking for a number six but some on the list may well have changed in recent days as Frank and Johan Lange decide in their key recruitment chats that would have taken place at Hotspur Way last week as well as subsequent and previous conversations about the best fitting names for his system that are gettable. It's a shame (for Frank anyway) that Christian Norgaard signed a new deal towards the end of last season because I would not have been shocked if Spurs had made a move for him as he was one of the more underrated midfielders in the Premier League last season.

"Frank absolutely loves the experienced Dane and thinks he's a special leader and no doubt would have wanted that at Spurs as someone who knows his demands inside out being in the centre of the team. Perhaps they might still test the water with Brentford.

"Timing is also a funny thing when it comes to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg because he's heading to Marseille thanks to that obligation in his loan move when he might have fitted Frank perfectly. The former Brentford boss used to coach Hojbjerg at youth level in the Danish international set-up.

"We'll find out in the next week or two which number sixes are on the radar as Frank's needs get pushed out within the game to agents and clubs. It's always the way it works under a new manager. It takes a little time and various meetings before details start to emerge."

According to the Standard, Arsenal are also looking at Norgaard as a potential replacement for Thomas Partey, who looks like he will leave at the end of this month when his contract expires. Frank and Lange would have already had a number of chats regarding Tottenham's summer recruitment and it remains to be seen if a move for Norgaard is made.

"We've won a European trophy. It's not enough. It's what we haven't done that's more important. We need to win the league. We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League. We want to win."

Those words from Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy this month in essentially explaining the sacking of Ange Postecoglou and his own desires for the club set the tone, whether he liked it or not, for what was expected this summer from Spurs in building a team for a season in which he expects to compete on multiple fronts.

So of course when the next signing of a new player happens to be a £5million deal for a 20-year-old centre-back from Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale, who is not going to be well known to the everyday Premier League fan, it's going to be met by a certain kind of reaction - mostly AI-created images of Danny Rose using Google.

For football is all about timing, especially when it comes to the aesthetics of transfers, and had Spurs wrapped up the kind of big money deal they need to do this summer to compete with the elite in the Champions League and ensure Levy's statement was not just wishful thinking, then the announcement of Kota Takai after that would have been mostly accepted as a smart piece of business.

However, as the first transfer - not counting the £30million deal to make Mathys Tel's loan move permanent - the reaction was always going to be along the lines of 'same old Tottenham, always looking for a bargain', while the big boys like Liverpool and Manchester City splash the cash on plenty of huge signings.

Had Takai been the third or fourth signing of the summer then the narrative would have been more along the lines that it's the kind of well-scouted and data-confirmed move from Johan Lange's side, kept quiet as usual until it was advanced, that the likes of Brighton, Bournemouth and Thomas Frank's old club Brentford would have been lauded for, especially if the 20-year-old becomes the player Spurs expect him to.

For while Takai falls into the exciting young player category available at a great price - albeit a J.League record fee - like those for Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr, he's actually an older, more experienced player than all three of them were when their deals were agreed.

Some have compared this to the move for South Korean teenager Yang Min-hyeok, who arrived last summer and has not played for Spurs yet, enjoying a learning loan at QPR in the second half of the season. It's not. Yang had just broken through with his first full season in the K-League when Tottenham made their move. The youngster was always envisioned as a raw attacker who would not be involved in first team matches immediately.

Takai is different and the expectations are that he will join up next month with the first team and be a part of the squad. He will certainly need an adaptation period like all foreign players, but the centre-back, who will turn 21 in September, has already been exposed to a lot of senior football and is one of the rising stars of Japanese football.

The 6ft 3ins defender has played 78 times already for Kawasaki, scoring four times from the back and laying on one assist. He has played 57 times in the J1 League and played a big role in his club winning the Japanese Super Cup last year and was named the J.League's Young Player of the Year.

He has also got plenty of experience in the AFC Champions League as an integral part of the Kawasaki side that reached the final last month. Along the way, Takai earned plenty of plaudits for the 3-2 semi-final victory away against an Al-Nassr team boasting Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran among its attacking options.

The young centre-back mostly kept the trio quiet, shackling Ronaldo for long periods, and Al-Nassr were only able to score from two shots from distance that the Kawasaki goalkeeper made a mess of.

Tottenham have tracked Takai for some time but this performance, which showed composure, strength in the air, an ability to read the game and that he is comfortable bringing the ball out of defence began to elevate his profile at clubs across Europe as it showed the kind of attacking talent he could compete with.

He now has international experience as well, having made his Japan debut just after his 20th birthday and has appeared in four World Cup qualifiers so far. It would have been more but for an adductor injury suffered in October last year. It's worth noting that many in the Japan squad ply their trade in European football, so for Takai to break into it as a young J.League player is a nod towards the belief in him. He also played at the Olympics with his country last year, reaching the quarter-finals.

That's not to say that Takai has been signed as a commercial venture - a reductive label often placed on signings from outside Europe or South America. Players like Son Heung-min only come along once in a lifetime. The Spurs captain has been called 'the Beckham of Asia' and is one of the most recognisable players on the planet and it's because he's been one of the top players in the game for years.

Also what Tottenham make from Son is not as much as people think with the player smart enough to tie up most of his image rights in Asia himself over the years. What they would make commercially from players like Takai or Yang at this point of time is a fraction of what they would make from signing a big name Premier League player. That's not to rule out either becoming superstars, but few from anywhere in the world are ever going to reach Son's level of popularity in the game.

There's also certainly an irony to Spurs signing a player from the J.League just after sacking a manager who won the title there and was keen to take players from Asia to his clubs. Takai was born in Yokohama, where Postecoglou had so much success, and the Australian would no doubt have had input at some stage of the process in recent months but it is Frank who gave the move the green light and will benefit from a centre-back who is right-footed but can play on either side of a central pairing.

Takai will arrive next month to join in with pre-season training. There is a gap in the J.League calendar after July 6 for a fortnight that would seem a logical break to make the switch and have the defender available for the tour to Hong Kong and South Korea, to ensure he bonds quickly with his new team-mates. He will be fit and sharp being midway through his season, which continues on Wednesday as Kawasaki host Niigata.

Tiredness should not be an issue as, barring a remarkable pre-season or injuries galore, Takai will not be starting Premier League games in the early weeks but will be pushing himself into the mix as the months pass.

The main issue for Tottenham right now is the sheer number of centre-backs they have with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, the injured Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies and the younger Ashley Phillips and Alfie Dorrington on the books and now Takai as well as a big defensive prospect in Luka Vuskovic, who arrives next month from Hajduk Split.

Spurs have been stockpiling in the centre-back department and Takai's move will not only have a knock-effect for many of those younger defenders but will also only further complicate the club's club-trained issues with their Champions League squad.

To put it simply without diving into all of the rules and regulations, Tottenham currently need to fit 31 senior players into 22 spots in their European squad, even before they make any further signings. It's clear a large number of players need to leave the club this summer.

Spurs fans want to see exciting new arrivals though, especially after Levy's grand declarations. They want someone like Eberechi Eze, who Tottenham maintain a strong interest in but currently have not moved for yet, and the north London club do need to make a team-changing statement this summer to ensure that winning a trophy was not just a blip and that they are not underprepared for their return to the table alongside Europe's best.

There are plenty of smart decisions to make in the transfer window at all price levels. For instance, Christian Norgaard is someone Frank adores as a person, as a leader and as a player and if Spurs were to try to sign the Dane, also being eyed up by Arsenal, despite his new two-year deal signed in March and the fact that he is 31, he could be a crucial experienced figure in an otherwise young side and able to carry out Frank's instructions to the letter.

This summer is all about the club needing to back up Levy's big statement, both the actions and words, but it also about building cleverly and strongly for a new head coach who will need help in the toughest club competition on the planet. Takai is a much smarter deal than people will give it credit for right now, but it needs to be part of an overall summer strategy rather than viewed in isolation.

Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo has taken to social media to post a four-word message amid growing speculation over his future.

The 25-year-old had a fantastic 2024/25 season with the Bees, scoring 20 goals and assisting nine more in 42 appearances in all competitions. With Thomas Frank being named as Ange Postecoglou's replacement at Tottenham, however, the Cameroon international continues to be linked with a move to north London.

Manchester United are also interested, though, and have reportedly lodged a second bid exceeding £60million for the forward. Mbeumo is currently enjoying his summer break following an impressive season, yet it remains to be seen if he will join the Bees for pre-season training in July.

Manchester United's initial offer of £55million was turned down but it's been reported Ruben Amorim's side remain optimistic about securing a deal for the forward. Spurs are not out of the race and could come in with a late offer, with Frank's appointment at the club possibly vital.

Amidst the transfer rumours, Mbeumo shared glimpses of his holiday activities on Instagram, posting a series of images and clips with the caption: "Time off so far [man getting massage emoji]." His off-season activities included experiencing Roland Garros and a picturesque visit to Canada, where he attended the F1 Canadian Grand Prix and gave an interview, reports the Manchester Evening News.

United's Leny Yoro showed support on social media, hinting at the possibility of the two becoming teammates, with United's campaign set to commence at home against Arsenal on August 17. The Red Devils have pinpointed the Premier League forward as the perfect addition to bolster their right-wing attack, according to MEN. If Mbeumo signs, he'll be joining Matheus Cunha as the second summer recruit, following his transfer from Wolves.

Tottenham could also be busy in the transfer market in the coming weeks, with Frank only starting in his role last week. The north London club have made the loan deals for Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel permanent, while 20-year-old centre-back Kota Takai will join the club from Kawasaki Frontale in a £5million deal, football.london understands.

Johan Lange and Frank would have had a number of chats about recruitment by now and football.london's Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold has insisted signing a versatile forward is high on the agenda. Gold said: "One of the priorities is clearly a wide player who can also play through the middle. Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Antoine Semenyo all tick that box with the former and latter both expected to be pushing towards the £70million price mark and Wissa less because he's got just a year left on his contract.

"Lange is likely to have plenty of non-Premier League talent on his list for Frank to sift through as well and whether they need to go for more than one new attacker depends on what happens with those at the club."

Many clubs across the Premier League have taken advantage of the 'pure profit' nature of selling players to help with the profit and sustainability regulations but Tottenham are not in that position.

Selling academy products can be a goldmine for football clubs because such players have very low amortised values as little to no transfer fee was paid out for them to begin with. What they are then sold for can be counted as almost 'pure profit' in the accounts which goes towards balancing out transfer spend.

There have been plenty of examples of academy players sold on for big amounts in recent years to prevent clubs falling foul of PSR and the risk of major financial or points penalties.

The main example of Tottenham doing so came with the sale of Harry Kane two years ago to Bayern Munich for almost £100million in total. In that same summer Spurs chairman Daniel Levy sanctioned the sales of Harry Winks for £10million to Leicester and then the following year took more than £20million for the sale of Oliver Skipp to the Foxes.

Skipp, however, was the last remaining outfield club-trained player at the club - an important thing when it comes to registering a squad for European competition. Such players need to have been on a club's books for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.

If you do not have four such seniors players then spaces must be left in your 25-man squad. Currently Tottenham only have goalkeeper Brandon Austin who qualifies for that so their Champions League squad for this coming season can only contain a maximum of 22 players, unless they were to bring back a former academy product such as those mentioned above or others like Kyle Walker-Peters or Dennis Cirkin.

That reason alone makes it unlikely for Spurs to take advantage currently of the 'pure profit' angle to sell their academy players for major fees unless they are sure they will not progress to the first team. Otherwise this problematic scenario will continue long into the future, apart from those young players they have signed at 18 eventually becoming club-trained years down the line.

Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray for example will be able to be registered on the youth B list from the 2026/27 season to ensure they do not need to be registered in the main European squad before eventually becoming club-trained.

It's also worth pointing out of course that Tottenham's high revenue and deductables such as their stadium depreciation makes it difficult for them to breach PSR rules in the first place anyway.

Football finance expert Swiss Ramble estimated that Spurs had around £93million per year of allowable deductions when it came to PSR compliance, with that figure made up of depreciation of £70million, £15million on youth development and £3million each on the women’s team and the community.

Using those allowable deductions, Spurs came out as net positive for PSR in 2021/22 at £32million, negative for 2022/23 at £2million given the heavy £95million pre-tax loss, and net positive for 2023/24 at £66million. That £96million sum, added on top of the £105million that as already allowed, meant that the club had some £201million in PSR headroom before having to be concerned about any kind of Premier League punishment. That was one of the healthiest PSR positions in the Premier League.

Next season’s position will likely see less wiggle room, but Tottenham are unlikely to be concerned about compliance given the breathing space they have already created over the years.

Manchester United have upped their bid to around £60 million for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.

Ruben Amorim, United's head coach, is on a mission to revamp his side following the club's most dismal top-flight season in 51 years, further marred by a crushing defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final.

United have already secured Matheus Cunha from Wolves in a deal worth £62.5m and are looking to strengthen their attack even more before pre-season kicks off on July 7.

After making initial contact with Brentford about Mbeumo earlier this month and seeing a bid of £45m plus £10m in add-ons turned down, it's understood they've now tabled an offer exceeding £60m.

Spurs, currently under the management of Mbeumo's former Bees boss Thomas Frank, are also keen on the Cameroon international.

The 25 year-old's contract at Brentford runs out next summer, but there's an option to extend it by another year.

Frank's move to Spurs has put a new dimension on United's move for Mbeumo, which pending a fee being agreed was expected to be rather straightforward given the player's desire to move to Old Trafford.

Brentford, though, can afford to hold out for their desired asking price and even Frank said himelf before moving to Spurs that Mbeumo would not come cheap to any club wishing to sign him.

"It is clear that if he is to be sold, it must be for a nice, nice amount," Frank said. "It is a lot. Mucho. Really a lot.

"Then it is clear that it is impossible to replace him one for one. It cannot be done. "There is a reason why he costs x number of million pounds, and we do not have x number of million pounds to buy for.

"I would say that I would be surprised if a lot of big clubs don’t look at him. "I would be surprised with what he has to offer.

“How many wingers score 20 goals for a mid-table club? And then with seven assists plus his work ethic. "And his character. All these things mean that he has a lot, so he is a good player."

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on their second signing of the summer transfer window after agreeing a deal to sign Kawasaki Frontale centre-back Kota Takai.

football.london understands that Spurs have agreed a £5million deal with the Japanese club and Takai is expected to be part of Thomas Frank's first-team squad.

The 20-year-old is set to join Mathys Tel through the door at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer after the forward's loan move was made permanent.

Here, football.london brings you a lowdown of Spurs' new centre-back including a tasty encounter with Cristiano Ronaldo...

Who is Kota Takai?

Born in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Takai is a 20-year-old central defender who has already made a name for himself in Japan. After playing his youth football for River FC, the 2004-born defender was signed by Kawasaki Frontale.

Having developed through their academy, he made his senior debut in an 8-0 win over Guangzhou in April 2022. The 2022/23 season was his breakthrough campaign during which he featured 21 times before scoring his first goal for the club in May 2024.

After reaching the 2024 Olympic Games quarter-final with Japan, the defender was handed his fully-fledged national team debut in September 2024 when he replaced Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Ko Itakura in a 7-0 win against China.

In the recent international break, he played 21 minutes in a narrow defeat to Australia and the full 90 against Indonesia, a game they won 6-0. Takai spent this summer representing his country at Under-23 level at the AFC Asian Cup and helped them win the tournament thanks to a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in the final.

In April, Takai showcased his quality against Ronaldo when Frontale faced Al Nassr in the semi-final of the AFC Champions League Elite. The Japanese team won 3-2 against Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and co with Takai earning plenty of plaudits.

"Honestly, we were losing individually as a team, but I think we won today because of our organised fighting style, which is typical of Japan," he claimed, despite admitting he wasn't pleased with his own performance. "I'm not satisfied with my play today, so I hope I can play in a way that will save the team in the final."

How will he fit into Spurs?

Spurs fans will know that Takai isn't the first young, unknown gem picked up by Spurs. The north Londoners have snapped up Luka Vuskovic, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall, Min-hyeok Yang, Antonin Kinsky, Ashley Phillips and Alejo Veliz in recent years.

Vuskovic has been out on loan in both Poland and Belgium since joining the club but can now officially make the move from Hajduk Split now he is 18.

New head coach Frank arrives at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a number of solid centre-back options with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven expected to be his first-choice, despite the former being linked with a move away.

Danso's permanent arrival joins Radu Dragusin, although the Romanian is currently nursing an ACL injury picked up in February. Ben Davies and Gray have been used as makeshift centre-backs but it's unclear how Frank will utilise them going forward.

Tottenham have agreed a £5million deal for 20-year-old Japan international centre-back Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale.

football.london understands the young defender is expected to be part of Thomas Frank's first team squad for the coming season and will leave Kawasaki midway through their J.League campaign to join up with the Dane's pre-season preparations, which begin in just over a fortnight.

Takai, who will turn 21 in September, has played 19 times this season in the Japanese league and another nine in the AFC Champions League, scoring twice. Despite his age, the young defender has also captained the side once, in their 3-3 draw at home against Yokohama in April.

The centre-back was identified by Spurs technical director Johan Lange and his staff as being able to step into the Premier League, following in the footsteps of other young signings at the club in recent years such as Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and Destiny Udogie, with the signing given the green light by Frank.

The current expectation is that Takai, who has now made four senior international appearance for Japan, will remain with the squad rather than be loaned out, but he will be fully assessed by Frank and his coaching staff up close in training when he arrives at the club. However, his experience with 78 senior club matches at his age and four international ones is seen as similar, and advanced on the international stage, to the likes of Bergvall, Sarr, Udogie and Archie Gray as being able to make the step up.

Takai will arrive in the same summer as teenager Luka Vuskovic. The Croatian centre-back has been out on loan in both Poland and Belgium and now he has turned he can officially make the move from Hajduk Split.

The Japan international will become the second signing of the Frank era after Mathys Tel's loan move from Bayern Munich was made permanent. The Frenchman will cost Spurs £29.8million (€35million), plus a potential further £4.2million (€5million) in add-ons. Tottenham to managed to knock around £15million off the original £45million option to buy the player at the end of his £8.5million loan spell.