Tottenham have brought in Japanese international Kota Takai fromKawasaki Frontale and he has given an idea of what to expect from him.
The £5m deal is the largest sale in the history of the J-League, with the 20-year-old signing a five-year contract with Spurs.
Despite his age, Takai has already racked up a decent amount of experience, making 81 appearances for the Kawasaki Frontale first team, having made his debut at just 17 years old.
His performances have also been recognised by his national team, already making four appearances for Japan.
The 6’4″ defender will not have been seen by that many Spurs fans before his arrival in north London, but he has given them a flavour of what to expect.
‘My position is centre-back, I can play either side, left or right,’ the Japanese prospect said after he was unveiled at Tottenham on Tuesday.
‘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.’
He added: ‘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 time as part of the national team.’
The youngster should be ready to go as the J-League is mid-season, and he played in a 2-1 win over Kashima Antlers as recently as Saturday.
‘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!’ Takai said.
‘I’ve had medical checks, and a lot of filming! Having arrived in London, I’m full of excitement.’
It seems unlikely that Takai will go straight into the starting XI at Spurs, with plenty of competition at centre-back in Thomas Frank’s squad.
Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven remain the first choice pairing in the middle of defence, while Radu Dragusin was brought in last year and Kevin Danso in January.
However, there may well be a rejig in the defensive pecking order as Romero remains a key target for Atletico Madrid during this transfer window.
Spanish publication AS reported on Monday that the La Liga side have already made a significant bid for the Argentina international, worth €55 million (£47m) plus €15m (£12m) in add-ons.
Tottenham have set an asking price of €70m (£60m) for Romero and are sticking to it, so Atletico will have to improve their bid to get the 27-year-old.
