It’s safe to say that the 2023/24 season hasn’t gone to plan for Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga, but Championship side Millwall have offered him a lifeline.
HITC Football confirmed that his loan spell at Augsburg would be terminated amid interest from Championship sides.
Millwall manager Joe Edwards has now shared his thoughts on the 24-year-old defender heading to The Den for the rest of the season.
Tanganga gets second chance after failed loan move
When Ange Postecoglou arrived at Tottenham last summer, he had a huge squad to try and assess in just a few short weeks.
He quickly whittled down his options, with several players made aware that they wouldn’t be part of the Australian’s plans.
For several players, they had to wait until deadline day to discover where they would be playing football for the rest of the season.
It became clear that Japhet Tanganga would be heading to the Bundesliga to join mid-table side Augsburg.
However, the move couldn’t have gone much worse for the £25,000-a-week defender, as he failed to play a league minute while in Germany.
Recalling Tanganga made perfect sense for Spurs as they’ll be looking to find a club to sign him permanently in the summer and playing regular minutes in the Championship will preserve his value better than sitting on the bench in Bavaria.
Millwall boss Edwards delighted to sign Tanganga from Tottenham
Speaking about signing the 24-year-old, Edwards said: “I’m really pleased to get Japhet in the building.
“He’s a player I know well from working with him in the England set-up in 2017 – we had a bit of success together in winning the Toulon Tournament.
“I’ve always followed his progress and watched keenly when he broke into the Spurs first-team.
“He’s played in some big games and done really well in them. I then faced him whilst working for Chelsea, so I was well aware of how he kicked on after I worked with him.
“For us to be able to bring a player of his pedigree, who has played in the Premier League and Champions League, into the club is pleasing. He’s a defensive player, right-sided and athletic, so he makes us better.”
Asked about the move, Tanganga added: “I’m very happy [to be at Millwall].
“I’ve not played much football recently, so it was important for me to pick the right club.
“The opportunity to come here presented itself, to work with someone I’ve worked with before and also been against when he was at Chelsea, so it was the best option for me to come here and be a part of Millwall.”
Spurs have had busy January window already
Millwall’s new signing Japhet Tanganga isn’t the only player who has been recalled from a loan deal this month by Tottenham.
Sergio Reguilon has swapped Manchester United for Brentford, while Alfie Devine has stepped up a level to join Championship side Plymouth Argyle after previously being on loan at Port Vale.
Devine’s situation is very different to that of Reguilon and Tanganga as Postecoglou will be keeping a close eye on the young midfielder ahead of next season.
The 19-year-old could end up having a part to play for Spurs and would be above Jamie Donley in the pecking order who has made his debut this season.
Tottenham still have plenty of work to do in the transfer market over the next few weeks and in the summer, but under Postecoglou, it feels like everything is going in the right direction.
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