Ko Itakura, a defender for Borussia Monchengladbach, is apparently being watched by Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Itakura signed a permanent deal to join Monchengladbach in July 2022, thereby leaving Manchester City without having played a game for the team after stints on loan at Schalke 04 and Groningen.
The Japan international played seven times in the Bundesliga this season after making 25 appearances for the German team in his debut campaign. However, an ankle ailment has kept him out of action since October.
With more than two years left on his deal, Itakura can still play for Monchengladbach, who value the defender as a significant addition to their first team when healthy.
The 26-year-old, nevertheless, is rumoured to have drawn interest from several elite European teams, raising questions about his long-term future with the Bundesliga team.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano of CaughtOffside claims that Liverpool dispatched scouts to watch Itakura multiple times last year.
Ange Postecoglou expressed interest in the Japanese defender when he was at Celtic, and Tottenham is reportedly keeping an eye on him as well.
Now that 2024 has arrived, Romano thinks it’s important to monitor Itakura’s future. The player is eager to join the Premier League, and clubs like Liverpool and Spurs may try to start talks with Monchengladbach in January or the summer of 2024.
Ever since Joel Matip suffered an ACL injury in early December that will keep him out for the remainder of the season, Liverpool has been predicted to make a move for a new centre defender during the winter transfer window.
Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, and Jarell Quansah are the other four centre backs that Jurgen Klopp has at his disposal. The Reds manager has previously downplayed the possibility of finding a successor for Matip.
Spurs will likely need to add more defensive options because their only recognised center-back options are Eric Dier and 18-year-old Ashley Phillips, with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven out due to injuries.
Though Dier appears to be surplus to needs under Postecoglou, who has recently opted to play full-backs Ben Davies and Emerson Royal in the middle of the defence, Phillips has yet to make his professional debut for the North Londoners.
Radu Dragusin of Genoa is currently thought to be Tottenham’s top defensive target for January. According to a recent report, they intend to complete the signing of the Romanian by the end of this week.
Leave a Comment