Takumi Minamino, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Takefusa Kubo, who are playing for top clubs in the world, are not the most valuable players from Japan. However, Japanese football can boast of many notable players competing in Europe's top national championships, even in the biggest teams. Below, Wintips has shared a list of the 10 best Japan football player with the highest transfer value.
Who is Japan's best football player?
1. Morita
The Santa Clara player, who is valued at €4 million and plays as a defensive midfielder, joined the Portuguese club in early 2021 after moving from Kawasaki Frontale. Since joining his new team, he has made more than 50 appearances in Europe. Despite being a defensive midfielder, Morita scored 4 important goals for Santa Clara, showing his versatility and influence in the squad.
Morita, valued at €4 million, made a significant mark in Santa Clara after moving in from Kawasaki Frontale in early 2021. He has participated in more than 50 European matches, showcasing his influence as a defensive midfielder. Especially, despite playing in this position, Morita has scored 4 important goals for his team.
2. Masaya Okugawa
Born in 1996, Okugawa began his professional career in Europe at the age of 18 by joining RB Salzburg. He has had a remarkable journey, especially when he moved on to DSC Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga – Germany's top league. Okugawa is a versatile midfielder who is highly regarded for his ability to control the ball, create chances and score goals.
In Bielefeld, Okugawa played in 41 matches, scoring 10 goals and providing 4 assists. His influence on the team's play in the Bundesliga has been remarkable. With his versatility on the field and his ability to adapt quickly to different roles, he has become an integral part of Bielefeld's tactics.
In addition to his talent for scoring goals and creating chances, Okugawa is also appreciated for his hard work and determination in every match. His maturity and experience gained from his time at Salzburg helped him shine in the Bundesliga. With his potential and talent, he is expected to continue to bring success to DSC Arminia Bielefeld and could attract attention from bigger clubs in the future.
3. Kyogo Furuhashi
Japanese international Furuhashi, who plays as a winger for Celtic in Scotland, has made a strong impression and is reminiscent of Celtic senior Shunsuke Nakamura in the past. Furuhashi, 27, joined Celtic in July 2021 for €5m and quickly became one of the standout players in the club's squad. He made 26 appearances, scoring 16 goals and providing 5 assists in the Scottish Premiership. Furuhashi's stellar form has reminded Celtic fans of a time when Nakamura shone while also playing for Celtic in the past.
Celtic have a long history for Japanese players and Furuhashi's prominence has left fans very excited. He not only shines in scoring goals but also in his ability to handle the ball calmly and create dangerous chances for teammates. Furuhashi's skills and talent have amazed the Celtic board, fans and team-mates with how quickly and powerfully he has adapted to Scottish football.
4. Ritsu Doan
Ritsu Doan, one of the top young talents in Japanese football, has attracted immense attention from fans not only in his home country but also around the world, including Vietnam. After rising to fame in the J-League, Doan decided to move to Europe to face new challenges in this football environment. He joined PSV Eindhoven, a top Dutch team, and quickly made his mark in the colours of this team.
PSV Eindhoven have valued Ritsu Doan at €6.5m, demonstrating confidence in the youngster's potential. With his speed, technique and creativity, Doan has played an important role at PSV, bringing breakthroughs and sharp attacking abilities, contributing to the club's success in both domestic and continental competitions.
Ritsu Doan's success in Europe has made him a symbol of the development of Japanese football and a great inspiration to young talents around the world, especially in Asia. His career is a clear example of the strength and potential of young Japanese players, going beyond national borders to face new challenges and prove their abilities.
5. Junya Ito
Ito started his career in school football and then played professionally at the age of 22 with Ventforet Kofu, then moved to Kashiwa Reysol in the Japanese J-League. In 2019, Belgian club Genk loaned him out and then decided to sign him permanently after an impressive season. With his versatile attacking midfield and excellent individual skills, Ito quickly adapted and became an integral part of Genk's squad.
Currently, Ito's value is estimated at 8 million euros, demonstrating his maturity and success at Genk. Ito's progress is a prime example of how young Japanese players can dare to step beyond national borders to take on new challenges and enhance their self-worth in the world's top football.
6. Takefusa Kubo
Takefusa Kubo is a promising young player from Barcelona's La Masia academy. However, for legal reasons, Kubo left Barcelona. Real Madrid quickly recognized his talent when he was playing for FC Tokyo in Japan and included him in the club's youth team.
Although Kubo regularly trains with Real Madrid's first team, he is yet to have an official place at the Bernabeu. Currently, Kubo is playing for Mallorca on loan. Here, he had the opportunity to show his abilities in a professional environment.
With his progress and creativity, Kubo is valued at around 10 million euros, proving his potential and value as a young player. Kubo's time in Mallorca was a positive step to gain experience and progress in his football career. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are still watching to see if Kubo can become an integral part of their first-team squad in the future.
7. Wataru Endo
Endo is one of the Japanese players who chose the European route through the link between Japanese football and Belgian club Sint-Truidense. He was then loaned out to Stuttgart before signing a permanent contract.
Since joining Stuttgart, Endo has played 70 games, scoring 5 goals and providing 7 assists. This shows his stability and significant contribution to the team's play. Currently, Endo's value is estimated at around 10 million euros, which is a testament to his maturity and value as a prominent central midfielder in European football.
Endo was one of the few Japanese players to successfully move to Europe, and his career was an inspiration to other young talents from the country. Endo's high valuation is also recognition of his ability in top football environments around the world.
8. Takumi Minamino
Minamino put in an impressive performance at Red Bull Salzburg, one of Austria's top teams, prompting Liverpool to spend almost €10m to bring him to Anfield. At Liverpool, Minamino continued to assert his abilities and became a notable star of Japanese football.
Although not the player with the highest transfer value, Minamino is still one of the highlights of Japanese football. Currently, he is valued at around 12 million euros, showing maturity and excellence at the highest level of world football.
Minamino is a clear testament to the success of Japanese players when moving on to Europe's top leagues. His career has been an inspiration to the country's other young talents, proving that Asian players can achieve success in the Western football environment.
9. Daichi Kamada
Kamada is an attacking midfielder who is considered the second generation of his comrade Shinji Kagawa, with the ability to take chances and create important opportunities for teammates. During his time in Frankfurt, Kamada played 120 games, scoring 22 goals and making 26 assists. These are impressive numbers for an attacking midfielder, demonstrating Kamada's versatility and superior attacking ability.
Currently, Kamada is valued at up to 22 million euros, showing his value and potential in the transfer market. The comparison with Shinji Kagawa also shows that Kamada is one of the top talents in Japanese football, and he is expected to continue to develop and succeed in his career in Europe.
10. Takehiro Tomiyasu
Tomiyasu quickly made his mark at Arsenal after joining the club, winning the Player of the Month award early on. With his ability to play as a full-back and central defender, the 23-year-old was once rated as one of Serie A's top defenders.
Tomiyasu has proven his versatility and quality in various positions in Arsenal's defence. He has quickly adapted to the pace and fitness of the Premier League, and has become an integral part of the squad under manager Mikel Arteta. With his consistency and relentless effort, Tomiyasu has brought certainty and versatility to Arsenal's defence.
Despite facing injuries at the start of 2022, Tomiyasu continued to perform impressively on the field. His value in the transfer market has increased significantly to €25 million, more than €3 million above the start of the 2021/2022 season. This represents recognition by the football community of Tomiyasu's skills and potential.
Despite the injuries, Tomiyasu remains one of the promising young talents who has had a significant impact on football. His increase in value is just one of many signs that he is well deserved in his career and one of the potential leaders of Japanese football on the European stage.
Conclude
A clear demonstration of the progress and potential of Japanese football is most evident through the best Japan football player. With impressive achievements at top teams in Europe, such as Takumi Minamino, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan and Wataru Endo, they have changed the landscape of Japanese players' abilities in the international football environment. The success of these players not only contributes to the pride of the country of the rising sun but also greatly inspires young Japanese football talents. Their diversity of positions and playing styles has brought breakthroughs and transformations to Japanese football, confirming the increasingly important role of this team in the global football community.
