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TOKYO – Japanese players are moving to English football in record numbers and more look set to follow, with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared to the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer but just saying this or that player is a good player. It feels like there is more interest in Japanese players from around the world,” the 31-year-old midfielder said. Currently also in England’s top flight are Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal) and Yukinari Sugawara (Southampton). Japanese players have had mixed success in the Premier League since Junichi Inamoto became the first when he joined Arsenal in 2001. He failed to make a league appearance for the Gunners and after one season, he left for Fulham. Shinji Kagawa won the Premier League with Manchester United in 2013 but drifted to the margins following a bright start and returned to Borussia Dortmund after an up-and-down two years. Fifa-registered agent Joel Pannick, who has 50 Japanese players on his books, said English clubs previously had “a bit of a fear of Japanese players”. “The stereotypical approach would be that the player would be technically very good, but would they be physical enough? Would they be strong enough?” he said. Pannick said the recent success of Japanese players at British clubs, especially at Celtic under former J1 League and now Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, has helped change perceptions. He also said the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way clubs scout players, making video footage and data from around the world more readily available. Relatively cheap transfer fees have made Japanese players a canny investment, with Pannick calling them “more attractively valued than the equivalent player from anywhere else in the world”. Brighton & Hove Albion paid just £2.5 million (S$4.3 million) to sign winger Mitoma from the J1 League in 2021, while prolific goalscorer Kyogo Furuhashi joined Celtic for £4.5 million the same year. Furuhashi was heavily linked with Manchester City this summer. Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said players are willing to play in the second tier and work their way up. He said: “The Premier League is where the best players in the world are and they want to be there too. I think a lot of players have moved to the Championship with a view to making the step up.” Pannick said post-Brexit changes to work permit rules have forced English clubs to look beyond Europe for signings and be “more open-minded and creative”. Japan’s recent performances at the World Cup, which included wins over Germany and Spain in Qatar in 2022, have put their players firmly in the shop window. Pannick said they have the mentality to make the most of the opportunity. “With the players I’ve worked with, if something hasn’t gone right, if they’ve been taken out of the team or if they’re asked to play in a position that’s not their favourite, the default response is: what can I do better?” he said. AFP