Spurs ace Japhet Tanganga shares what he thinks about people ‘taking notice’ of him

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Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga has given his verdict of what it’s like to have people “taking notice” of him after his superb Spurs first-team breakthrough, in conversation with The Mirror.

The 20-year-old had previously only played one senior game for Tottenham – in the League Cup defeat to Colchester United earlier this season – before making his Premier League bow against Liverpool on 11 January.

Although Tottenham fell to a 1-0 defeat, Tanganga – part of a three-man defence along with Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez – put in a great performance, especially considering the baptism of fire in taking on the European and world champions.

Since then, Tanganga has gone from strength to strength, playing the full 90 minutes in the Premier League games against Watford and Manchester City as well as the FA Cup third-round replay against Middlesbrough and the two fourth-round ties against Southampton (Transfermarkt).

However, despite his impressive breakthrough, Tanganga – who remained on the bench for the win over Aston Villa – is staying grounded and keeping sight of the goals that have taken him to the Spurs first team.

“Obviously, it’s nice that people are taking notice of me but it’s important I remain focused and enjoy the game,” he said. “For me it’s just taking one game at a time and waiting for the manager to tell me when to start or just being on the bench.

“It’s just being ready to go when the manager needs me. It’s a big deal to be playing at this level. I’ve still got to learn a lot to improve but it’s a great experience and I’m enjoying it game by game.”

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It’s always a great moment when a homegrown academy ace breaks into the first team, as Tanganga has done.

On top of his great displays, Tanganga is also showing a great, level-headed attitude, which is a major asset for any footballer and everyone associated with them.

Multiple reports claim that contract talks are under way between player and club over a new deal – and rightly so, as Spurs have a great talent on their hands, while the player is at a great club to progress in his career.