Latest news with #JoelChimaFujita
Kyodo News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Football: Machida joins Hoffenheim, Fujita moving to St. Pauli
KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 13:00 | Sports, All Japan defender Koki Machida has joined Hoffenheim from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise while midfielder Joel Chima Fujita is moving to St. Pauli from Sint-Truiden, the respective German Bundesliga clubs said Friday. Machida played six seasons for his boyhood club Kashima Antlers before joining Saint-Gilloise in January 2022. The 27-year-old helped the Belgian side win their first league title in 90 years this past campaign. The 23-year-old Fujita, who captained Japan U-23 at the Paris Olympics last summer, is making the move to the Bundesliga after two seasons in Belgium. The Tokyo Verdy youth product made his professional debut at the club in 2019, then in the J-League second division, before playing for Tokushima Vortis and Yokohama F Marinos in J1. Defender Daiki Hashioka, meanwhile, completed his move from Luton Town to Czech champions Slavia Prague, who will play in next season's European Champions League. The 26-year-old former Urawa Reds player was also on the books at Sint-Truiden before he joined Luton in January 2024. He could not help Luton stay in the English Premier League, however, and the team then suffered a double relegation this past campaign after finishing 22nd in the second-tier Championship. Related coverage: Football: Spurs to sign 20-yr-old Japan defender Kota Takai from Kawasaki
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Besiktas keen on signing Sint Truiden's highly rated Japanese midfielder
Sacha Tavolieri is reporting that Turkish giants Besiktas are keen on signing Joel Chima Fujita from Sint Truiden. The player is said to be keen on the move to Istanbul with a proposal that is almost too good to refuse on the table for the player. Tavolieri reports that the Turkish club are now in discussion with the Canaries about a transfer for Fujita. For the player, a move to a side the size of Besiktas is a no brainer, especially if he wants to play for Japan at the World Cup next summer. Losing Fujita would certainly be a big blow for Sint Truiden. The Japanese midfielder is a key player in central areas defensively and has performed well since making the move to the club from Yokohama Marinos back in 2023. Since then, Fujita has played 63 games for the club and scored once. While prone to a yellow card, his all action style in central areas is crucial for sides that want to win the ball back in midfield and transition quickly to attack. Compared to other players in his position in Belgium, Fujita won more defensive actions than 88% of his fellow defensive midfielders. GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stuttgart in talks to sign Joel Chima Fujita
Sports Nippon reports that VfB Stuttgart are interested in acquiring twice-capped Japanese international Joel Chima Fujita. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder currently plays St. Truiden in Belgium and maintains an estimated market value of €2.2m. Fujita made 36 competitive appearances for his Belgian club this year. The Japanese publication claims that talks over a permanent transfer have already begun. Fujita's style-of-play apparently reminds VfB management of former VfB squad captain Wataru Endo. Fujita – who is also eligible to represent Nigeria – would certainly wish to enhance his chances of representing Japan at next summer's World Cup. Advertisement Stuttgart themselves can cite the success of the likes of Endo and current Bayern Munich man Hiroki Ito as cases in which Samurai internationals were able to further their career with the club. Reports linking German midfielder Angelo Stiller with a move away from Württemberg may leave Stuttgart in need of more midfield assistance this summer. GGFN | Peter Weis
