Tottenham announce summer friendly with Vissel Kobe in Tokyo

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Tottenham will play a pre-season friendly against Japanese side Vissel Kobe in Tokyo this summer.

Spurs will face the reigning J1 League champions at the Japan National Stadium on July 27 as part of what is expected to be another wider tour of Asia.

It will be the first time Spurs have visited Japan, where head coach Ange Postecoglou spent three seasons in charge of Yokohama F. Marinos, in 33 years.

Spurs first visited Japan in 1971 and their last visit came in 1991 when they took part in the Kirin Cup as FA Cup holders.

The club have already announced a controversial post-season trip to Postecoglou’s home city of Melbourne where they will face Newcastle on May 22, three days after the end of the season.

The fixture has raised further concerns about player welfare, with the Football Association said to be considering changing the rules to ban farflung post-season trips.

Spurs will conclude pre-season with a showpiece friendly at home to Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich on August 10, arranged as part of the deal for the England captain to move to Bavaria last year.

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