Spurs Eyeing Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Rising Star
Sky Germany brings to the fore that the Spurs are the freshest addition to the list of suitors for Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Japanese defender Ko Itakura (26). Fresh off a stint at Manchester City, Itakura’s arrival at Gladbach last summer for a mere €5m might be considered a steal given his stature today.
A Replacement Hunt in the Offing
Serie A reigning champions Napoli have their sights set on Itakura to fill the void expected to be left by Kim-Min jae’s probable leap to Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Union Berlin’s Danilho Doekhi finds himself on Napoli’s radar too.
Enter Spurs. Like Napoli, the Premier League giants are eyeing the services of Itakura, while keeping their options open. It’s suggested that Wolfsburg’s Mickey van de Ven is the preferred pick of manager Ange Postecoglou for fortifying the central defence, and Itakura figures as the alternative.
A Mönchengladbach Dilemma
Borussia Mönchengladbach find themselves in a predicament. Allowing Itakura to walk away is a luxury they can scarcely afford. The Foals have already bid adieu to Ramy Bensebaini on a free transfer and with Nico Elvedi’s future uncertain with just 12 months left on his contract, manager Gerardo Seoane may find himself dealing with a shortage in defence.
Indeed, it’s a daunting task for BMG Sporting Director Roland Virkus to engineer a squad rebuild amidst key departures and the looming expiration of contracts. The Itakura situation is certainly one to keep an eye on.
