J-Football Journals Round-Up #7

From the writer; I've bagged my degree, passed uni, now I'm free! Enjoy this issue of the latest J-FOOTBALL JOURNALS!

Kota Takai En Route to the Premier League - £5 Million Fee Agreed

The young Kawasaki Frontale ace Kota Takai looks set to move to the Premier League, as Tottenham Hotspur have a deal agreed. Daniel Levy's view on underpriced talent remains unchanged as they chose to pursue one of the top defensive footballers in Japan.

If it goes through, it will be the biggest fee paid for a Japanese player to Europe since Kyogo Furuhashi's £4.6 million switch to Celtic (Scotland).

The 192m tall centre-back is ideal for a Thomas Frank system which primarily looks to progress the ball from the defensive channels - albeit still raw on Premier League standards, he has already played against Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran - and winning the meeting.

@AdamBloszko17 on X

What Tottenham Fans can expect from new arrival Takai

51.62 successful passes p/ 90

88.3% pass accuracy

1.37 tackles won p/ 90 4.62 recoveries p/ 90

A very dynamic defender who enjoys to move upwards and provide an attacking threat too. Plays RB for Japan.

Takai will need to adapt to the physical and fast nature of the Premier League immenently if he is to spearhead a Europa League-winning side's defence.

@yuukikouhei on X

"Tottenham has Archie Gray (19 years old), a super young defender who’s a promising talent in England, so if Takai and Gray were to form a center-back duo, it would definitely spark a lot of excitement for the future. "

Albeit Archie Gray primarily playing midfield, the injury crisis last season meant the youngster very frequently played a deeper role. Japanese analysts precedent that Takai could very well form a brilliant partnership with fellow promising players.

"This is the kind of thing that makes you think, “We’re set for the next 10 years!” (though it’s a phrase that tends to jinx things)."

However on the flipside, with established defenders like Cristian Romero on the books at Tottenham, Takai could learn a lot from the experience passed on downwards, to further nurture the promising displays he showed in the J1 League.

Urawa Red Diamonds Club World Cup Early Crashout

Despite a good game played against UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan, Maciej Skorza's men crashed out after their 1-0 lead was overturned by Lautaro Martinez and Carboni in the dying minutes of the match.

Whereas the Reds recieved a good experience, we were regrettably unable to see the likes of Junpei Hayakawa take the world stage.

Urawa will return to the J-League campaign where they sit 6th, with potential to climb further up if they are to bring the faster paced unforgiveness from the Club World Cup to the Saitama stadium.

European Spectacle - Japan University FA Select vs ACF Fiorentina

After Fiorentina's pre-season prep in England finishes, they will immediately take to the pitch to play against a Japan University FA Select on Thursday, August 14th 2025 at the Stadio Curva Fiesole, Viola Park. The Japanese students will travel to prove a point and gain valuable European experience against the Italian giants.

This is another great leap forward for Japanese student footballers, with proof that there is a lot of time and attention invested into the level by organisers and coaches in the country.

Scouts will eagerly look to obtain access as there may be yet more diamonds in the rough to be uncovered in such an interesting fixture.

What does this mean for university football?

It will raise the profile and bring more media attention, money and potential into the leagues. Early european experience given to young players from not only Meiji and Tsukuba but also other universities will make the level a more attractive option for academy children.

Education in football is one of the most important areas for a player to have a secure background and even a sharper mind on the pitch.

Celtic Scout Frontale Talisman

There were Parkhead scouts reportedly in Japan watching Kawasaki Frontale's Shin Yamada in action. Perhaps after the fan's Kyogo-blues, there is longing for another Japanese striker on the books in Glasgow.

A current drop in Yamada's form recently makes the timing of this interest weird. There is speculation that Celtic are eager to bag a cheaper deal whilst the trend is on a low - which means they could potentially get the better end of the deal on Kawasaki.

Shin Yamada is now goalless in his last ten matches for Kawasaki, despite having a brilliant beginning to the season in their J-League campaign.

Kotaro Uchino Joins Brondby

Now fully confirmed, the young Tsukuba striker makes an impressive jump overseas all the way to Denmark. It is a unique transfer which will have numerous scouts on their toes for the next superstar making their mark in the Japanese University scene.

With the striker rejecting offers from J-League, including a return back to the Yokohama F. Marinos who he spent time with in his under 18 years, Uchino set his sights on the European dream, looking to create an impact.