The 20-year-old Japan international centre-back has agreed a deal with Spurs that will run until 2030. The Yokohama-born defender mad his first team debut for Kawasaki in April 2022 in an 8-0 victory over Guangzhou in the AFC Champions League. He said since earned the J.League’s Best Young Player award while making a total of 81 senior appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals, and he helped his team to the 2025 AFC Champions League final.

On the international stage, Takai has made four senior appearances for Japan in World Cup qualifying fixtures and in 2024 helped his country to win 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.Takai becomes Spurs’ third signing of the summer, albeit their first new face, with his £5million switch after the loan moves for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso became permanent. Another new defender has also joined, having signed two years ago, in the shape of Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split after loan seasons in Poland and Belgium.