Postecoglou is gearing up for Tottenham Hotspur’s first preseason match of their Asian tour, set to take place on Saturday morning against Vissel Kobe. The team participated in an open training session at the National Stadium of Japan, where they were greeted by a crowd of enthusiastic local fans. Following the session, Postecoglou held a press conference to discuss the team’s preparations for the friendly match, the ongoing transfer window, and his aspirations for the upcoming Premier League season.
In the press conference, Postecoglou provided updates on the squad, noting that the only players who will definitely not feature against Vissel Kobe are Destiny Udogie and Richarlison. Both players traveled with the team but are still recovering from injuries. However, he confirmed that Ben Davies is fit and will likely see some action on Saturday.
“Yeah, the guys who kind of participated in the games so far [are available], plus Ben Davies has trained this week. So out of the traveling party, I think it’s just Richy and Destiny who aren’t quite ready to play but everyone else is fit,” Postecoglou said.
Alasdair Gold, covering the tour for Football.London, observed that Timo Werner and Alfie Whiteman also did not participate in the training session. Whiteman’s absence was particularly notable as he missed the previous friendly against QPR, with U23 keeper Luca Gunter getting an extended playtime in that match.
When the conversation shifted to the transfer window, Postecoglou spoke about Tottenham’s imminent confirmation of 18-year-old Korean winger Yang Min-Hyuk. He emphasized that Spurs are exploring talent beyond the European market to strengthen their squad.
“Yeah, again I’m well aware of the quality of the K League. When I was at Celtic, we were looking to bring over at least a couple of Korean players, and I think they’ve made a fantastic impact in Europe, none bigger and none better than our own Son Heung-Min. He’s just an outstanding player and an outstanding person. He’s the captain of our club and an outstanding individual; we’re super happy to have him at our football club. So yes, we’ll be looking far and wide for players, and as you rightly said, it is difficult for me to discuss,” Postecoglou remarked.
Postecoglou, who managed Yokohama F. Marinos from 2018-2021, acknowledged his familiarity with Japanese football and its talent pool. He hinted at the possibility of scouting players from the J-League, citing the league’s competitive quality and the success of Japanese players like Mitoma at Brighton and the impact of Japanese players he brought to Celtic.
“Good try! We’re constantly looking. Everyone knows me. I spent close to four years here in Japan. I loved my time here, and I really think the J League is a competition that ranks with, apart from maybe the big five or six leagues in Europe, I believe it ranks equal in quality with other leagues. I really believe that Japan is producing some world-class players who are already making their mark on the Premier League. We’ve seen Mitoma go to Brighton and the Premier League and do fantastically well. I took three or four, maybe more, players to Celtic, and they’re all making an impact. We’re constantly looking everywhere. I guess my experience here showed me that you can find quality footballers who will fit into the style we want to play from anywhere, and we’re constantly looking. So yes, my answer is not yes and not no.”
Addressing concerns about Tottenham’s transfer moves, Postecoglou assured fans that the club has a strategic plan for the transfer window, even if it requires patience.
“As you say, at this time of year it’s pretty hard for supporters because they don’t have all the information, and it’s fair to say there’s plenty of misinformation out there. We’re working hard to bring players in, and it’s a process that you sometimes have to be patient with. But in terms of what we set out to do, that’s still the plan, and you have to stay disciplined with that. Sometimes the timings don’t work out, and it doesn’t happen as quickly as you want, and you don’t get them [players] in at the right time, but I think it’s really important you stay disciplined and not run off and chase other things. So, what we started with at the start of summer is still there, and I wouldn’t want to put timelines on it. A lot of that is out of our control, and we just need to be patient. From where I sit at the moment, we’re still in that phase where what we identified is still what we’re after.”
Tottenham’s friendly against Vissel Kobe will kick off at 7 pm local time (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. BST). The match will be streamed on SpursPLAY for subscribers and on the CBS Sports Golazo Network via Paramount+ in the United States.