Football London

Clubs across Europe are waiting to pounce for Luka Vuskovic on loan if Thomas Frank decides the teenage Tottenham talent can leave in the wake of Kota Takai's transfer, football.london understands.

Vuskovic has been one of the most sought after young defenders in Europe and Spurs saw off competition from Manchester City among others to sign the Croatian from Hajduk Split in 2023 while he was still just 16. The centre-back was not able to officially make the move until he turned 18 and Tottenham set up loans for him, first at Radomiak in Poland and then at Westerlo in Belgium last season, alongside young Spurs midfielder Alfie Devine. Those moves had the intended effect as Vuskovic has now played 61 games despite his age.

The 6ft 3ins defender has also scored a remarkable 11 goals and laid on four assists in those matches thanks to his ability to pop up in the right areas in the opposition box, allied with impressive technique which allows him to dribble and finish moves. One spectacular bicycle kick goal for Westerlo last season earned him plenty of plaudits.

Vuskovic, who was handed his senior debut for Croatia at the end of last season, will finally arrive at Hotspur Way next month to join in pre-season training and allow his head coach Frank to have a good look at him in action alongside his new team-mates.

However, there is also set to be a new £5million defensive arrival next month at Spurs in the shape of Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale. The 20-year-old Japan international is expected to be part of Frank's squad for the coming season, although he will also be looked at during this summer's training sessions at Hotspur Way and on tour in Hong Kong and South Korea.

Takai, who turns 21 in September, is older than Vuskovic and has slightly more experience, having played 78 senior club games and appeared in four World Cup qualifying matches in the past nine months.

The Japanese centre-back has also played 13 times in the AFC Champions League against the best teams in Asia and helped Kawasaki reach the final this year after being named the J.League Young Player of the Year in 2024.

With a currently packed centre-back department, Frank must make a decision on whether both young new arrivals remain with the squad until January at least or whether the teenage Vuskovic needs another full season of regular minutes to continue his development. Tottenham will also be aware of the defensive injuries that cost them last season and required young midfielder Archie Gray to play as a centre-back for a large part of the campaign.

football.london understands that a string of clubs across Europe are waiting to try to take Vuskovic on loan if he becomes available this summer.

Another problem for both Vuskovic and Takai lies in Spurs' club-trained issues with their European squad, which means currently Frank must fit 31 players into 22 spots in his Champions League squad for the season ahead, not counting any further new signings.

While Takai is too old to qualify as club-trained, Vuskovic will be able to qualify after three years at the club and could also eventually be able to qualify for Tottenham's UEFA B list for younger players, even with one loan included.

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg once gave Jordan Henderson his backing as the England star reportedly circles a move to French side Marseille.

Hojbjerg left Spurs to join the Ligue 1 side last summer on loan. However that move has now been made permanent with Spurs believed to have pocketed around £17million for the midfielder.

Rumours are now abound that Ajax star Henderson could be headed to the French outfit too, due to a clause in his contract with the Dutch side.

The clause reportedly states he can move on a free transfer this summer if he wishes to activate it, with Marseille thought to be keen on recruiting the 35-year-old.

Should the ex-Liverpool captain make the move to Marseille, the potential switch already has the blessing of Hojbjerg. Speaking ahead of Denmark's Euro 2020 semi-final with England, played in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Dane voiced his feelings on Henderson.

"I think England's squad overall are fantastic, their midfield as well," he said. "And the guys who aren't playing from the start. When you're able to bring on a Jordan Henderson, it's a big example of quality."

Henderson won the Premier League and Champions League with Liverpool, captaining the club to both historic victories. However he left in the summer of 2023 for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, after a lack of assurances over first team opportunities at Anfield.

Just six months later, he called time on his Saudi Arabian stint and made the move to Amsterdam. Henderson found himself in a key role in Francesco Farioli’s Ajax side last season as they agonisingly missed out on the Eredivisie title by just one point on the final day.

Despite his standing in Amsterdam, with the World Cup coming up in less than a year it's thought that Henderson has yet to decide whether its Ajax, or Marseille, which can offer him the best chance of showcasing his talents on the European stage.

Henderson has been drafted in to Thomas Tuchel’s recent England squads, but his inclusion was met with some derision as England underperformed in their World Cup qualifiers.

The ex-Sunderland man could now be set to join such players as Mason Greenwood and Adrien Rabiot at Marseille, where under former Brighton boss Robert de Zerbi, the club finished runners up behind Paris Saint-Germain last season. Henderson's willingness to move has also alerted Nottingham Forest, who are also believed to be looking at bringing the midfielder in.

Meanwhile, Hojbjerg started 30 of Marseille's 34 matches this season and played the full 90 minutes in all but two of the games. He scored three goals and made four assists.

Tottenham first signed Hojbjerg from Southampton in 2020 in a £15m deal. He went on to make 184 appearances for the club, scoring ten goals.

Tottenham will have another new face this summer in Japan international Kota Takai but he is likely to hand Thomas Frank a dilemma.

Spurs are set to sign the 20-year-old centre-back for £5million from Kawasaki Frontale, a fee that is a J.League record one for a Japanese player. Takai is expected to be part of the first team squad under Tottenham's new head coach Frank this season after the Dane gave the green light to his move.

One problem will face the new Spurs boss though when it comes to the newcomer and it is a issue that will also apply to another new arrival in 18-year-old centre-back Luka Vuskovic. The dilemma is which players Frank can name in his Champions League squad next season.

Due to the club's struggles with a lack of club-trained senior players, Frank currently has 31 players to fit into 22 European squad spots and that is before any more new signings arrive this summer. Of course, the Dane must also decide who leaves Spurs this summer but it is still likely that he will be required to leave a player or two out of his Champions League squad as all of his predecessors have had to do in European competition.

With so many centre-backs at the north London outfit currently that might mean that either Takai or Vuskovic, or potentially both, miss out on playing in the world's biggest club competition.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold and head of football.london Lee Wilmot discuss the above and plenty more about Takai and what the young Japanese defender will bring to the club and what Tottenham must do in the transfer window in the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham.

Kota Takai might just have his eye on a certain shirt number at Tottenham Hotspur and whether he gets it will show just how much Thomas Frank expects to use him in his first season.

Spurs have moved to sign the 20-year-old centre-back for £5million from Kawasaki Frontale, a J.League record fee for a Japanese player and Takai is expected to be part of the first team squad under new head coach Frank rather than coming in as a development player likely to head out again on loan.

That is mostly because of his experience already in the game. Takai, who turns 21 in September, is not arriving as a teenager taking his first steps in senior football. The 6ft 3ins centre-back has already got four international caps for Japan, turning out in their World Cup qualifiers and is seen as one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the country.

Takai has clocked up 78 appearances already for Kawasaki and played a key 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. The young defender has already played 13 times in the AFC Champions League as a key part of the Kawasaki side that reached the final last month, including a big performance in the semi-final win away against an Al-Nassr team boasting Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran.

Takai will arrive at Tottenham next month and will turn up at a time when his favoured No.2 shirt for the past couple of years is available at the club. It has been available since 2023 when Matt Doherty left and it remains to be seen whether anyone else would want it. For Japan, Takai wears the number three and that is also available at Spurs in the wake of Sergio Reguilon's departure.

Young players arriving at Tottenham often take numbers higher up the list, although Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall did get 14 and 15 last summer. In being given either number two or three, Tottenham would certainly be showing Takai their faith in him and that he will be up the pecking order to challenge for a regular spot if he shows what they expect in training over the coming months.

Thomas Frank is a huge admirer of Christian Norgaard with the Brentford captain linked with a move to Tottenham this summer.

The Denmark international has impressed for the Bees since signing for the club in May 2019. The 31-year-old signed from Fiorentina but really earned his reputation at Brondby, where he also played under Frank.

Known for his strong tackling and tactical awareness, the midfielder also possesses extreme technical ability and has more than shown his range of passing in the Premier League in recent seasons. With Tottenham interested in signing a new midfielder this summer, Norgaard has emerged as a target, although the Dane is also said to be of interest to north London rivals Arsenal.

Norgaard did sign a contract extension at Brentford in March, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2027, but Spurs may be tempted to test the west London side's resolve with an offer. Frank is a huge admirer of the defensive midfielder's talents and waxed lyrical about his compatriot when news of his contract extension was published.

“This new contract was a no-brainer for us and Christian,” said Frank at the time. “Christian has been an integral part of the fantastic journey we have been on these past six years. He is our club captain and one of our most important players.

“His ability to sense danger and make interceptions is at an extraordinarily high level, as is his ability to play forward on the first or second touch. And he has picked up his goal threat this season! The first time I coached Christian, he was a No.10; now he is one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League. I’m very happy. Hopefully we can continue to be successful together with Christian leading the team.”

With Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma both entering the final year of their contracts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Norgaard is a realistic option given his top flight experience and understanding of working with Frank. The new Tottenham boss' feelings on the midfielder are clear and that may well mean a move is on the cards.

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.