Tottenham centre-back Kota Takai has completed a season-long loan move to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The Japan international joined Spurs last summer from Kawasaki Frontale in a £5 million transfer, a record fee for a player leaving the J1 League. However, his time in north London has been disrupted by injury, limiting his chances to make an impact.
Takai was initially sidelined with plantar fasciitis before later picking up a thigh problem. Although the 21-year-old returned to action with Tottenham’s Under-21s in early December, he departs for Germany without making a senior appearance.
He was named in a Spurs matchday squad for the first time last weekend, remaining an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace. He then missed the draw at Brentford on Thursday, with his switch to Mönchengladbach confirmed the following day.
The Bundesliga club announced that Takai has already joined them in Turkey for their winter training camp. German outlet Rheinische Post reports that the deal includes an option to buy, meaning the defender may never feature for Tottenham’s first team.
Mönchengladbach’s sporting director Rouven Schröder praised the signing, saying: “Kota is a tall, physically strong centre-back with good pace. He has the qualities to help us immediately, and we’re delighted to welcome our new number 14.”
The club later shared behind-the-scenes footage of Takai’s first day, including his medical. They hope his arrival can spark an upturn in form, with Mönchengladbach currently sitting 12th in the Bundesliga, five points clear of the relegation zone.
Takai rose to prominence at Kawasaki Frontale, making 81 appearances after debuting at just 17 in 2022. His performances earned him a senior Japan call-up in 2024, and he has since won four caps.
After signing a contract with Spurs until 2030, Japanese football expert Alan Gibson previously highlighted Takai’s potential, praising his pace, height and standout display against Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané and Jhon Durán in the Asian Champions League.
Takai is the second young Tottenham defender to head to the Bundesliga this season, following Luka Vušković’s loan move to Hamburg after an impressive pre-season.
