Kept Ronaldo quiet: Bundesliga signing earns high praise | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo hadn’t looked this bewildered in a long time. Perhaps the last time was still in a Manchester United jersey. In April 2025, the superstar stood on the pitch for several minutes, completely perplexed, after Al Nassr was eliminated in the semifinals of the AFC Champions League, talking to himself.

He seemed to replay several match situations in his mind, repeatedly shaking his head. The defeat visibly gnawed at him; the frustration was almost palpable. 

Why are we telling you about this again, more than half a year later? Because the origin of this rather bizarre scene lay in the outstanding performance of a defender who could soon cause great despair for the likes of Harry Kane, Serhou Guirassy, and Deniz Undav in the Bundesliga.

Borussia Mönchengladbach didn’t hesitate in 2026 and announced the transfer of Kōta Takai yesterday. The Japanese player joins the Foals on loan and arrives with plenty of advance praise. 

With this transfer, Gladbach has secured a young, talented central defender who not only boasts impressive physical attributes but also remarkable football intelligence. The 21-year-old, who played for Kawasaki Frontale in the J1 League until his move to Tottenham Hotspur, has established himself in recent years as one of Japan’s most promising defensive players.

His most impressive game for Frontale was likely in the Asian Champions League against Al Nassr’s team of aging stars. Takai strung together one clearance after another, won nearly 85 percent of his duels, and repeatedly shone in build-up play. Japanese media later said Takai had “Ronaldo and Mané in his pocket.”

📸 - - AFP or Licensors

Now, on the Lower Rhine, he wants to take the next step in his career.

With his 1.92 meters of height and athletic build, Takai brings the perfect physical prerequisites for a modern central defender. Off the ball, he impresses above all with his proactive and aggressive style of play. He loves to intervene at just the right moment, disrupt opponents, and win the ball with lightning-fast, well-timed tackles. This style of defending requires precise timing, which Takai has demonstrated multiple times in his appearances so far. In Japan, he mainly played in a back four, but he stands out above all for his great tactical versatility—a trait his former coach at Kawasaki Frontale, Shigetoshi Hasebe, attested to in a press conference in April. 

But it’s not just his defensive qualities that make Takai such an exciting player. With the ball at his feet, the Japanese also shows promising signs. Particularly noteworthy are his precise diagonal balls in build-up play. In addition, Takai—much like his compatriot and former Gladbach player Ko Itakura—likes to carry the ball forward himself. We’re not talking about solo runs into the opponent’s penalty area, but rather controlled ball progression in pressing situations or counter-movements against clever pressing from strikers. In terms of player profile, he’s quite similar to Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck, except that he’s right-footed and at home on the right side of central defense. 

📸 Alex Davidson - 2024 Getty Images

Despite these qualities, Spurs agreed to a transfer—and according to ‘RP online,’ also to a purchase option in the summer. This is mainly due to the fact that Takai hasn’t played a single game for Tottenham yet. A foot injury during preseason prevented that, and the competition in London is brutal. Thomas Frank can count on four established central defenders with international experience: Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Radu Drăgușin, and Kevin Danso. 

At Borussia Mönchengladbach, Takai now has the opportunity to develop further in a competitive environment and become a permanent fixture in the defense. In the past, the club has repeatedly developed young players successfully, and Takai could be the next success story in this line. Coach Eugen Polanski commented very positively on the transfer: “His profile is outstanding. But he’s still a young player, coming from a different culture. He hasn’t played for a long time due to injuries. He has quality, but hasn’t gotten into rhythm for half a year. We need to really get to know him now.”

If Gladbach’s coaching staff wants some first-hand impressions, they could always ask Al Nassr—and especially Cristiano Ronaldo. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Yasser Bakhsh - 2025 Getty Images