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Gallery | Pre-season training | 08.07.25  Tottenham Hotspur

What a whirlwind few days for our new signing, Kota Takai.

On Saturday, he lined-up for Kawasaki Frontale in the J League back home in Japan, completing 90 minutes at centre-back in a 2-1 win against Kashima Antlers.

On Monday, he was here at Hotspur Way completing the formalities of his move to Spurs - subject to international clearance and work permit – on a deal that will run until 2030, officially announced on Tuesday morning.

Kota explained: “I played at the match with Kawasaki Frontale in the J-League on Saturday, got on the plane the next day, and I’m here today! I’ve had medical checks, and a lot of filming! Having arrived in London, I’m full of excitement.”

Still only 20, Kota has packed a lot of playing experience into his career to date. He has 81 senior appearances in all competitions under his belt for Kawasaki Frontale, including a Japanese Super Cup medal last year and helping his team reach the final of the prestigious 2025 AFC Champions League in May. His performances in the 2024 J League campaign earned the league’s Best Young Player award.

On the international stage, it’s a similar story. Having featured across multiple age groups, he tasted victory in the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup in 2024 and represented Japan at the Olympics in Paris, reaching the quarter-finals. His displays have been rewarded with a call into Japan’s senior squad, and he made his debut in World Cup qualifying against China in September, 2024. He now has four caps to his name.

“The J League has very high intensity, and its level is high,” he said. “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 time as part of the national team.”

Born and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture in the Kanto region of Honshu – Yokohama is the capital of the region - Kota told us he’s ‘always played football, since my childhood’ and he quickly progressed through the ranks at Kawasaki Frontale. He made his debut at just 17 in April, 2022 in an 8-0 victory over Guangzhou in the AFC Champions League.

Now he is ready for a new chapter, both on and off the pitch. “My position is centre-back, I can play either side, left or right,” he added. “Active defending is my strength. At Spurs, my first goal is to be on the pitch for a match and to do my best. I look forward to meeting the fans at the stadium. Come on you Spurs!”

Alejo Veliz has joined Rosario Central on loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

Having joined us from the Primera Division side in August, 2023, Alejo has made eight senior appearances in our colours to date, scoring once.

The 21-year-old forward has previously spent time on loan in La Liga with Sevilla and Espanyol.

On Tuesday morning, we welcomed our third permanent addition of the summer with the signing of Kota Takai.

A 20-year-old Japan international defender, Kota joined us from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale and signed a contract with the Club which will run until 2030.

Born and raised in the Tsurumi ward of Yokohama, a city just outside the capital of Tokyo and that is where his love of football began, playing the game as a child while also watching it when he could, especially the Premier League on Super Soccer Digest.

Playing locally before moving into the Frontale academy, Kota has enjoyed a meteoric rise since short move north.

He became the youngest player in the Japanese side's history to sign a professional contract, doing so while still in school before he earned his professional debut at the age of 18 - coming in the Asian Champions League.

Coming on as a substitute against Chinese side Guangzhou, the defender helped his side see out an 8-0 away win in the group stage.

Just two months later, the 18-year-old was facing his idol Lionel Messi as Paris Saint-Germain - our opponents in next month's UEFA Super Cup Final - visited the Japan National Stadium to take on Frontale in a friendly. That day the frontline facing the centre-back featured Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

After that bright start while still part of the Academy side, he was thrust into the spotlight as the following campaign he was promoted to the first team side and went onto play 21 matches, including four as his side went on to life the Emperor's Cup.

And that summer he was once again tested with European opponents - and with the challenge of a future team-mate as Mathys Tel led FC Bayern Munich at the Japan National Stadium in July 2023.

Despite his age, Kota has continually impressed in the J1 League as he towers over opponents. At 6ft 4in, just one outfield player could beat him in terms of height - that being Yokohama's Shawn van Eerden.

Dominant in the air, the defender is also physically strong so is not shy of a duel while he has the speed in recovery. Good on the ball, he also has the composure to stay calm under pressure.

Those attributes have helped him to continually grow in his homeland to become a star for his country.

At the age of just 18, he was selected to represent his country at the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina in 2003 - Alejo Veliz (Argentina), Wilson Odobert (France), Dane Scarlett and Alfie Devine (England) also appeared at the tournament.

In 2024, his rise continued with him scooping the J.League's Young Player of the Season award having also helped Frontale to win the Japanese Super Cup at the start of the year.

The year also saw him lift a major honour on the international stage as he was part of the Japan Under-23 side to win the Asian Cup while he also represented his nation at the Olympic Games in Paris - he was the youngest player in his nation's squad.

His performances across those tournaments, and domestically for Frontale, saw him honoured with his first cap for the Japan National Team. Coming in September, 2024, the centre hald came off the bench to help his side to a 7-0 win over China. He has since earned three more caps.

Last season he was part of the team which took Kawasaki Frontale to the AFC Champions League Final for the first time, defeating Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in the semi-finals before falling to Al-Ahli in the Saudi Arabian showpiece.

We are delighted to announce the signing of Kota Takai from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale, subject to international clearance and work permit.

The Japan international defender has agreed a deal with the Club that will run until 2030.

Born in Yokohama, Kota progressed through the ranks at Kawasaki Frontale and, at just 17 years of age, earned his first team debut in April, 2022, coming in an 8-0 victory over Guangzhou in the AFC Champions League.

The 20-year-old soon became a regular in the senior side, making 21 appearances the following campaign including four outings in the team’s run to lifting the 2023 Japanese Cup (Emperor's Cup).

An imposing figure at the back, Kota continued to impress and helped the Azzurro Nero to the 2024 Japanese Super Cup. Later that year, he earned recognition for his performances, claiming the J.League’s Best Young Player award.

During his time with Kawasaki Frontale, he made a total of 81 senior appearances in all competitions, scoring on four occasions and, last term, helped his team to the 2025 AFC Champions League final.

On the international stage, Kota has featured for Japan across multiple age groups and, in 2024, helped his country to glory at the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup. He also represented his country at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, reaching the quarter-finals of the tournament.

In September, 2024, he earned his senior debut in a World Cup qualifying fixture against China, earning four caps for his country to date.

The Club’s first match of the 2025/26 pre-season period takes place on Tuesday night as our Under-21s take on League Two side Bromley (7.45pm UK).

With our young players having reported back to Hotspur Way a little over a week ago, the action swiftly gets underway when Wayne Burnett’s troops make the trip to Hayes Lane to take on a Ravens side that finished 11th in their debut season in the EFL last term.

Wayne will be able to utilise some fresh faces after a number of players stepped up from last year’s Under-18s squad to join the Under-21s this summer.

New signing Max McFadden, who joined last week following his departure from Leeds United, could also make his debut in our colours.

With the hosts electing to wear their away kit on the night, our brand new 2025/26 Nike home kit is set for its first on-pitch run-out on Tuesday.

For supporters wishing to attend the match in person, Bromley have advised that tickets are only available online and that no tickets will be available on the night. Find out more about arrangements for supporters on Bromley’s website here.

As always, we’ll have a full report of the action on Tuesday evening here on tottenhamhotspur.com and the Spurs Official app.

Watch | New Under-21s signing Max McFadden speaks to SPURSPLAY

Following the recent appointment of Thomas Frank as our new Head Coach, we can now confirm the full composition of our men’s first team coaching staff ahead of the new season.

Further to the previously-announced arrivals of Justin Cochrane (First Team Assistant Coach), Chris Haslam (Head of Performance & First Team Assistant Coach), Andreas Georgson (First Team Assistant Coach) and Joe Newton (First Team Coach Analyst), we can confirm that Matt Wells will remain on the coaching staff as First Team Assistant Coach.

In addition, we welcome Cameron Campbell as First Team Individual Development Coach and Fabian Otte as First Team Goalkeeper Coach – they arrive following spells at RB Leipzig and Liverpool respectively.

Furthermore, we’re pleased to announce that Stuart Lewis and Dean Brill have been promoted into new roles from our Academy.

Stuart is now First Team Academy Transition Coach following four successful years leading our Under-18s. As part of this new role, he will aid the development and integration of our young players into the senior set-up.

Dean becomes First Team Assistant Goalkeeping Coach, having previously worked as Head of Academy Goalkeeping.

Finally, we can announce that Rob Burch has left the Club. A former player and coach in our Academy, Rob returned to us as First Team Goalkeeping Coach in 2023. We thank him for his service and wish him well for the future. A member of our Spurs family, he will always be welcome at the Club.

Martin Ho can’t wait to meet our ‘passionate’ Lilywhite fanbase.

Appointed as our new Women’s Head Coach last week, the 35-year-old has got straight to work at Hotspur Way ahead of his first campaign, getting familiar with his new surroundings in north London after putting pen to paper on a contract that runs until 2028.

Set to compete in our seventh consecutive season in the Barclays Women’s Super League, we’ll find out our fixtures for the new term at the end of this month – Friday 27 July.

While it will be a while until Martin gets the opportunity to lead us for the first time in the WSL with just under two months until the opening day - 6 September – our new Head Coach is already looking at ways to drive us forward and get us ready for the new campaign, not just on the pitch, but off it as well with our supporters at the heart of his plans.

“(The connection between us and our supporters is) really important,” he told us. “In my previous experience I’ve just had in Norway, the connection between club and city was really big.

Watch | Behind the scenes of Martin's first day

“I know how passionate the fans are here, and I want to make sure we can bring them closer, engage with them a lot more, not just locally but from a global perspective.

“How can we bring the fanbase closer to us and attract new fans and motivate more people? How can we engage more young girls and boys to want to participate in football?

“The more we do that, it will generate more of a talking point and energy around the team.”

Having spent time in the WSL as assistant manager with both Everton and Manchester United, Martin has previously visited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, coming in his spell with United, but now he is set to take his seat in the home dugout in N17, and he cannot wait!

“I think it’ll be very important for me to walk out as Head Coach at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, to represent the team and where we want to go,” he added.

“We want to play more games there in the future. If we can leave a good account of ourselves when we’re there, I’m sure we’ll definitely attract more fans - and that gives us the opportunity to play there again more often.”

Watch | Martin's first interview

We have reached agreement with Chelsea for the permanent transfer of Becky Spencer.

Joining us in July, 2019 from West Ham United, Becky was part of our first-ever squad to compete in the Barclays Women’s Super League and went on to make 15 appearances for us in our maiden campaign in England’s top flight.

In her five-and-a-half seasons with the Club, she made 95 appearances in all competitions, with 76 of those coming in the WSL, and she kept 18 clean sheets in those.

During the 2023/24 campaign, Becky played an integral part in our historic run in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Her penalty shootout heroics against Manchester City in the quarter-final – where she saved spot-kicks from Chloe Kelly and Alex Greenwood – saw us progress to the last four of the competition before eventually reaching the final for the first time in our history.

We thank Becky for her service to the Club and wish her all the best for the future.