In his debut season with the German club, the Japan international featured 25 times, and this term, he has played seven times in the Bundesliga before being sidelined with an ankle injury since October. Despite the setback, Itakura is seen as a valuable member of Monchengladbach's first-team squad when fit, with over two years left on his contract.
However, the 26-year-old has attracted interest from several top European clubs, sparking speculation about his future with Monchengladbach. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, as reported by CaughtOffside, Liverpool had scouts watching Itakura multiple times last year, and Tottenham is also monitoring the Japanese defender, who drew interest from Ange Postecoglou during his time at Celtic.
As we enter 2024, Romano suggests keeping an eye on developments regarding Itakura's future, as clubs like Liverpool and Spurs might consider negotiations with Monchengladbach in either January or the upcoming summer transfer window.
Liverpool has been linked to a potential move for a central defender since Joel Matip's ACL injury in December, though manager Jurgen Klopp has downplayed the need for a direct replacement, considering the available options in Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, and Jarell Quansah.
Meanwhile, Spurs are expected to strengthen their defensive options due to injuries to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, leaving Eric Dier and 18-year-old Ashley Phillips as the only recognized center-back options. Phillips is yet to make his senior debut, and Dier appears to be surplus to requirements under Postecoglou, who has recently favored playing full-backs Ben Davies and Emerson Royal in central defense.
As of now, Genoa's Radu Dragusin is believed to be Tottenham's primary defensive target for January, with reports suggesting they aim to finalize the signing of the Romanian by the end of the week.
