Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur defender Kota Takai has joined German side Borussia Monchengladbach on loan for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

Takai joined Spurs on a five-year contract from Kawasaki Frontale in July for a J-League record fee of around £5million, but he is yet to make his first appearance for the north London side having dealt with separate foot and knee injuries since the summer. He was included in the matchday squad for the first time by Thomas Frank as an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

The 21-year-old returned to first-team training in November, and played 45 minutes in a behind-closed doors friendly against National League South side Dagenham and Redbridge in early December.

Kota Takai has joined Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach on loan for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.

Best of luck, Kota! 🙌

🔗 https://t.co/YVUeiEykge pic.twitter.com/OQGNTuOf7b

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 2, 2026

He joins the Bundesliga club until the end of the season, where he will be initially viewed as a back-up but should find opportunities in the German top-flight due to Gladbach’s lack of defensive depth. The four-time Japan international will be supported by countryman Shuto Machino, who will help him integrate into the squad.

Like with fellow Spurs central defender Luka Vuskovic, who signed for Hamburg on a season-long loan in the summer window, there is no buy clause in the agreement.

Tottenham remain fairly well-stocked in the centre-back department, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero arguably the club’s best and most important players. They’re supported by Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin, who has recently returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in January 2025.