Koga: “I can grow a lot by competing at this level”
Wed 02 July 2025, 15:30|
Tottenham Hotspur
New signing Toko Koga is relishing the opportunity to test herself in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
Our first arrival of the summer transfer window, the Japan international joins from Feyenoord, where she made 35 appearances, scoring three goals, for the Eredivisie Vrouwen side in an 18-month spell.
Having put pen to paper on a contract that will run until 2028, the defender spoke of her excitement to get her move to north London and the WSL completed.
“I’m really happy to be here,” she told us. “The environment at Spurs is great and I’m amazed how big the facility is.
“As for the reason I decided to join the club, I had wanted to play in England for a long time. It’s a top-class league, and I believe I can grow a lot by competing at that level every week.
“Transferring to the Dutch league, it helped me to adjust to the environment in Europe and playing in a different environment from Japan helped me grow. I played with more physically capable players and that helped me to develop as a defender.”
When asked about meeting her new team-mates, she added: “I’ve been looking forward to joining the team ever since the transfer was decided. I haven’t had the opportunity to meet them yet, but I’ll do my best so that they can get to know me well.”
Making the move to the Netherlands at the age of 18, Toko impressed quickly at the Rotterdam side and was recognised on the international stage, earning her first senior call-up for Japan in July, 2023.
Since then, the 19-year-old has earnt a further 18 caps to her name, scoring two goals, and has represented her nation in the SheBelieves Cup – winning the 2025 edition - and at last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
“I’ve wanted to play for the national team since I was a child but I didn’t expect to be called up so soon, so I’m really happy,” Toko said.
“The Olympics was my first major international tournament, I had dreamed of playing in the Olympics and the World Cup since I was a child, so I was nervous, but it made me realise that we still have to improve to win the tournament.”
