View: Tottenham gem finally set for lift-off on loan, he could be one for De Zerbi next season

Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Kota Takai has finally returned to first-team training while on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach.

Signed from Kawasaki Frontale in Japan last summer, the 21-year-old joined Monchengladbach until the rest of the season in January.

The 21-year-old is a full Japan international with four caps, with a loan move to Germany likely taken to solidify his chances of a World Cup 2026 spot with the Blue Samurai.

However, he has only featured in six matches for the German outfit after struggling with a muscular injury.

Despite Takai’s slow start to his Tottenham career, he still has a lot to offer, and with Roberto De Zerbi closing in on becoming the new Spurs manager, the Italian will be excited to see how the centre-back performs for the rest of the campaign.

Kota Takai returns to first-team training at Borussia Mochengladbach

With over 80 appearances and two senior trophies in his home country, there is great hope for Takai at Tottenham, and he will just want to prove himself after months of uncertainty with injury.

According to Rheinische Post, the Japanese defender returned to training on Monday and he’s ready to play a part in their remaining matches in the Bundesliga.

Although the table below makes for worrying reading, Takai has an abundance of talent, which has been seen in rare glimpses across his spells in Germany and Japan.

Last season, he scored two goals and won 63.9 per cent of his aerial duels for Kawasaki Frontale, establishing himself as one of the most dominant young defenders in Asia.

And according to Sofascore, Takai has completed 88 per cent of his passes in 335 minutes of Bundesliga, which highlights his calm nature on the ball.

De Zerbi has always valued young talents and if he were to be appointed, Takai is definitely someone he would look at as a potential starter next season.

If he manages to stay fit and earn a consistent run of starts, then he could follow in the footsteps of Luka Vuskovic.

Takai could follow the footsteps of Luka Vuskovic

At just 18, Vuskovic is taking Europe by storm, and Tottenham fans will be anticipating him making an impact on the squad next season.

He has exceeded expectations at Hamburg and etched his name into club history after scoring their first goal in the Bundesliga in 2,688 days in September.

According to Sofascore, he has achieved a pass accuracy of 83 per cent and a long ball accuracy of 41.7 per cent, showcasing his strengths in possession as well.

While Takai possesses a slightly different profile, he would match Vuskovic’s qualities very well, and De Zerbi would definitely improve his development in N17.

Only time will tell if he manages to end the season strong in Germany, but he’ll certainly be one to watch over the summer.

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