According to Sport, Ryunosuke Sato is close to joining Valencia, continuing a pathway begun by Takefusa Kubo and Yuto Nagatomo, who also started their careers at FC Tokyo.

European football's preference for Japanese players is no longer merely a "gamble." A quick look at the squad list of players competing under head coach Hajime Moriyasu reveals that 23 of 26 national team players compete in European leagues, distributed across Germany, England, the Netherlands, Scotland, Belgium, France, Spain, Denmark, Italy, and Portugal.

Beyond sporting returns, this trend could also drive commercial expansion in Eastern markets. With Japanese players continuously transferring to Europe, if Ryunosuke Sato's development at Valencia proceeds smoothly, he has every chance of becoming the next success story. Despite being only 19 years old, this right winger has already made 5 appearances for Japan's senior national team.

Yuto Nagatomo, an FC Tokyo player who currently represents Japan at the World Cup, is one of the principal pioneers of Japanese players moving to Europe and is considered, alongside Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa, a representative of this trend. Before them, Hidetoshi Nakata, Shunsuke Nakamura, and Kazuyoshi Miura, among others, had already paved the way for their successors.

Nagatomo's professional career began at the prestigious Meiji University in Japan. FC Tokyo quickly took notice and signed him officially in 2008, though he had already made his senior debut the previous year. Four seasons later, he had developed into an aggressive and competitive left-back capable of establishing himself in European football. This two-footed player first joined Cesena on loan, proved himself in Italy for a year, and Cesena purchased him for 1.6 million euros. Just one season later, Inter Milan signed him for a total of 6.5 million euros, and he performed exceptionally between 2011 and 2018. After that, Nagatomo played for Galatasaray and Marseille. Since 2021, the now 39-year-old full-back has returned to FC Tokyo.

In March 2015, the club bearing Japan's capital name demonstrated its excellent youth academy scouting abilities once again. After beginning his football education in his hometown of Kawasaki, Takefusa Kubo stood out at a Barcelona summer camp in 2009 while still a pre-school player. Two years later, La Masia brought him into Barcelona's youth team, where his left foot consistently delivered goals and assists. However, midway through the 2014/15 season, Barcelona lost him due to violations of minor transfer regulations. At 14 years old, FC Tokyo opened its youth team doors to him, hoping he would quickly rise to the top of Japanese football. And indeed, he did. At 15 years old, he made his senior debut in an official match, surprising everyone.

At 18 years old, his return to Europe was imminent. There was speculation he would join Barcelona, but Real Madrid ultimately won the race, signing him in June 2019. Despite playing for Real Madrid's B team, he could not break into the senior squad due to non-EU player quotas and was subsequently loaned out. His first stop was Mallorca, where he also made his La Liga debut. However, the text contains an error regarding this debut: it states the match was at Mestalla with Valencia winning 2-0, but Mestalla is Valencia's stadium, not Mallorca's. His subsequent loans, particularly his continued development in Spanish football, saw him wear the shirts of Villarreal and Getafe. Eventually, Real Sociedad decided to purchase half of his economic rights from Real Madrid for a transfer fee of 6.5 million euros.

Among young players who left FC Tokyo for Europe, Yuto Nagatomo and Takefusa Kubo are the most prominent names and the brightest mirrors for Sato's path in Europe. However, they are not the only examples. There are other young players from Tokyo's academy who have transferred to major leagues and have excellent prospects, such as recent signings Kuryu Matsuki and Kenta Nozawa.

Southampton signed midfielder Kuryu Matsuki in summer 2024 on a 4-year contract for an undisclosed transfer fee. In his first season, this left-footed attacking midfielder was loaned to Göztepe of the Turkish Super Lig. In Turkey, he made 34 appearances, scoring 6 goals and providing 5 assists. Despite significant challenges from the cultural environment and his age, Kuryu Matsuki progressed both on the pitch and in his development, and his market value also increased. Now 23 years old, he is an important player for Southampton and one of the key figures in the team's excellent second-half performance, helping them reach the Championship playoff final. Unfortunately, they were ultimately eliminated due to a tactical listening incident, giving Middlesbrough another chance to fight for promotion, while Hull City ultimately secured promotion to the Premier League.

Before Southampton decided to sign Kuryu Matsuki, the now 23-year-old had already represented several Japanese youth national teams, helping Japan win the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in 2024, and was named AFC Young Player of the Year. This successful experience with the Japanese youth national team is quite similar to Sato's; the difference is that Sato has gone one step further, entering the senior national team, and has made 5 appearances for Japan since June 2024.

The most recent significant sale from FC Tokyo's academy comes from goalkeeper Kenta Nozawa. Last year, Belgian club Antwerp paid 1 million euros for this promising 1.93-meter goalkeeper. Like Sato, Kenta Nozawa has been a representative figure in several Japanese youth national teams, and although he has not yet made his debut at the Paris Olympics or for Japan's senior national team, he has been part of relevant preparation systems. Since October, he has established himself as a regular starter at Antwerp, and like Kuryu Matsuki, his upward trajectory is strengthening, and he is beginning to attract attention from stronger European clubs.

As for Ryunosuke Sato, who is about to wear Valencia's shirt, he entered FC Tokyo's system at 8 years old in 2014, first transferring from Aoyama FC to JACPA Tokyo, and graduating four years later. In 2023, after signing a professional contract as a U-18 player, he said: "My name is Ryunosuke Sato, and I am pleased to announce that I have signed a professional contract with FC Tokyo. I am very happy to begin my professional career at my favorite club, which has supported me since fourth grade when I joined the advanced class of FC Tokyo's Football School. I will become a player who can move many people through football. I will fight for the blue and red crest with pride, ambition, and passion. I will do my best to win the league title, which has been my dream for a long time. Thank you for your support!" Now, he hopes to make a name for himself at the Mestalla stadium and take a real leap forward in Europe.

Key players transferred from FC Tokyo to Europe:

Ryunosuke Sato's transfer fee, approaching 4 million euros, will exceed all amounts FC Tokyo has previously received from selling young players to European leagues.

Traduzido por IA.

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