logo
Football: Dutch club Ajax sign Japan defender Itakura on 4-year deal

Football: Dutch club Ajax sign Japan defender Itakura on 4-year deal

Kyodo News6 days ago
BERLIN - Dutch football club Ajax said Friday they have signed Japan defender Ko Itakura from German side Borussia Monchengladbach.
The 28-year-old from Yokohama, near Tokyo, has agreed to a four-year contract through June 2029 with an option for an additional year.
Itakura joined Gladbach in 2022 after playing in the J-League and then having spells at Groningen in the Netherlands and Germany's Schalke.
Four-time European champions Ajax have qualified for the European Champions League by finishing second in the Eredivisie in the 2024-25 season.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

PSG beats Tottenham on penalties to win UEFA Super Cup after late comeback
PSG beats Tottenham on penalties to win UEFA Super Cup after late comeback

Japan Today

time19 hours ago

  • Japan Today

PSG beats Tottenham on penalties to win UEFA Super Cup after late comeback

Paris Saint-Germain players celebrate after beating Tottenham Hotspur on penalties on Wednesday to win the UEFA Super Cup soccer European champions Paris Saint-Germain began the new season by lifting more silverware on Wednesday as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup after producing a late comeback to draw the match 2-2. Spurs looked set to get their hands on the trophy in their first competitive match under new coach Thomas Frank as they led 2-0 just after half-time at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy. Micky van de Ven gave last season's Europa League winners the lead on 39 minutes and Cristian Romero got their second goal three minutes into the second half. However, PSG were rescued by two substitutes as Lee Kang-in pulled a goal back in the 85th minute and Goncalo Ramos headed in the equaliser four minutes into injury time. That meant a penalty shoot-out, although it started badly for PSG when Vitinha put their first kick wide. New Paris goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier then saved from Van de Ven and Mathys Tel missed the target, allowing Nuno Mendes to convert the winning penalty for PSG. Dominic Solanke, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pedro Porro all scored from the spot for Spurs, in vain. Ramos, Ousmane Dembele and Lee converted for PSG before Mendes stepped up. It is the first time PSG, or indeed any French club, have lifted the Super Cup, as they take their tally of trophies won in 2025 to five. "I am proud. We have hadn't much preparation but you could see that football is not only about the physical aspect -- it is also about the mental aspect, being in the right place, having the right tactics," PSG captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus. "They sat back a lot after going 2-0 up and it is dangerous to invite PSG to come at you like that." It is the perfect start to the new campaign for Luis Enrique's team, who had a shortened off-season break having lost the FIFA Club World Cup final to Chelsea exactly a month ago. They only began pre-season training a week ago and played no friendly matches before this game. PSG now begin the new Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday away to Nantes, while Spurs will turn their attentions to the start of the Premier League season as they take on Burnley at home on Saturday. "I think we played a very good game against one of the best teams in the world -- maybe the best in this moment in time," Frank told TNT Sports. "I think we had them exactly where we wanted them for 80-something minutes until the 2-1 goal. Then of course that shifted a little bit the momentum, but there was so much positive. "I am so proud of the team, the players, the club, the fans. I think there is a lot to be happy with. It is a flip of a coin when you go into a penalty shoot-out." As well as Frank making his debut on the bench, new signings Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha both started for Spurs. Chevalier made his debut in goal for PSG following his arrival from Lille, a move which has sidelined Italy 'keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Luis Enrique's team. The 23-year-old was called into action to tip over a Richarlison shot midway through the first half but he could not prevent Van de Ven giving the Premier League side the lead as the interval approached. Chevalier did tip a Palhinha shot onto the bar after Spurs sent a ball into the Paris area, but there was nothing the goalkeeper could do to stop Dutch defender Van de Ven scoring the follow-up. The new signing was then culpable as Tottenham scored again just after the break, with Chevalier too easily beaten by a header from the unmarked Romero. It looked like it would not be PSG's night as Bradley Barcola had an effort disallowed for an offside midway through the second half, but they saved the day with a remarkable late show. Lee controlled a Vitinha pass before firing low into the far corner from the edge of the box, and Ramos then equalised in the 94th minute by heading in a driven ball across the face of goal by Dembele, setting PSG up for penalties. © 2025 AFP

Football: Reims president admits Keito Nakamura looking for transfer
Football: Reims president admits Keito Nakamura looking for transfer

The Mainichi

time2 days ago

  • The Mainichi

Football: Reims president admits Keito Nakamura looking for transfer

AMIENS, France (Kyodo) -- Japan attacker Keito Nakamura is seeking to leave French Ligue 2 club Reims this summer, their president said Monday. But Jean-Pierre Caillot was adamant the future of the 25-year-old, who scored 11 goals in the top-tier Ligue 1 last term, lies at his club. "He's under contract with us," Caillot said after Reims drew their season opener 2-2 away to Amiens, where Nakamura was not in the matchday squad. "I don't know (about offers from other clubs). Either way, he will stay at Reims." Nakamura, who joined Reims from Austrian outfit LASK in the summer of 2023 on a five-year contract, became the first Japanese player to score in five consecutive games in a major European league last October. Reims were eventually relegated, however, after they finished 16th and lost in the promotion-relegation playoff. Nakamura was also absent from Reims' preseason tour of Japan through Aug. 2, in which they lost to J-League second-division club Montedio Yamagata 1-0 and top-tier side Kashiwa Reysol 2-1 before beating J1 Gamba Osaka 2-1. Back in May, Nakamura told Kyodo News he was determined to "survive" the battle to make the Japan squad for next summer's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United Sates. "It's the stage I've been dreaming of since I was little. What I have in front of me now really is the biggest chance," he said. "I want to score at the World Cup finals."

Football: Reims president admits Nakamura looking for transfer
Football: Reims president admits Nakamura looking for transfer

Kyodo News

time3 days ago

  • Kyodo News

Football: Reims president admits Nakamura looking for transfer

AMIENS, France - Japan attacker Keito Nakamura is seeking to leave French Ligue 2 club Reims this summer, their president said Monday. But Jean-Pierre Caillot was adamant the future of the 25-year-old, who scored 11 goals in the top-tier Ligue 1 last term, lies at his club. "He's under contract with us," Caillot said after Reims drew their season opener 2-2 away to Amiens, where Nakamura was not in the matchday squad. "I don't know (about offers from other clubs). Either way, he will stay at Reims." Nakamura, who joined Reims from Austrian outfit LASK in the summer of 2023 on a five-year contract, became the first Japanese player to score in five consecutive games in a major European league last October. Reims were eventually relegated, however, after they finished 16th and lost in the promotion-relegation playoff. Nakamura was also absent from Reims' preseason tour of Japan through Aug. 2, in which they lost to J-League second-division club Montedio Yamagata 1-0 and top-tier side Kashiwa Reysol 2-1 before beating J1 Gamba Osaka 2-1. Back in May, Nakamura told Kyodo News he was determined to "survive" the battle to make the Japan squad for next summer's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United Sates. "It's the stage I've been dreaming of since I was little. What I have in front of me now really is the biggest chance," he said. "I want to score at the World Cup finals."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store