Tottenham 'to battle' Liverpool in the summer for £13m bargain that could rival Wataru Endo deal

Tottenham are reportedly set to rival Liverpool's interest in Borussia Monchengladbach defender Ko Itakura in the summer.

Itakura, 26, has been previously linked with a move to Liverpool across the past few weeks. With Jorg Schmadtke already utilising his links in the Bundesliga to sign three players from that league in his first summer working with Liverpool, it's no surprise he has scouted another potential transfer from Germany.

Currently, the Japanese defender is out at the Asia Cup alongside Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo as the duo both played 90 minutes in their opening game victory over Vietnam in what was an entertaining 4-2 victory. He produced a calm and composed performance and managed to complete 101 of his 111 passes as well as winning all of his ground duels and the interest in him is growing according to the latest reports.

Sky Germany have revealed that Tottenham will rival Liverpool for his signature in the summer and that Jurgen Klopp 'likes' the defender. The more enticing part is the fact that he has a £13m release clause that will be available in the summer and he could prove to be another low-cost, low-risk signing that the Reds have been known for across Klopp's time at the club. Endo cost just £16m but he has proven to be a handy signing given his levels of professionalism, underrated quality and wealth of experience.

However, should either club complete a move, he is likely to remain as the fourth-choice at both clubs until he can prove himself. Ange Postecoglou has the likes of Micky van den Ven, Cristian Romero and new signing Radu Drăgușin who are all strong defenders in their own right.. For Itakura, it could be the same. He boasts experience across Japan, Holland and Germany and has already been capped 23 times by the national team. Furthermore, he can also play as a defensive midfielder if needed and he could be the player that eventually replaces the outgoing Joel Matip, whose deal expires at the end of the current season.