Shunsuke Mito, this season’s J.League Best Young Player Award winner, moves to Sparta Rotterdam while the 18-year-old striker Keisuke Goto joins the Belgian powerhouse

As we’ve seen every year, several promising Japanese players have left the J.League for Europe in winter.

A diminutive dribbler, an attacking full-back and a tall 18-year-old striker – let’s look at the three made-in-Japan talents who move to Europe this winter.

Shunsuke Mito
Albirex Niigata → Sparta Rotterdam
Date of birth: Sep 28, 2002 Height: 1,64m (5.5ft) Weight: 60kg
2023 J1 League: played 31 matches, 4 goals, 2 assists

Trained at the JFA Academy Fukushima, the Japan Football Association’s elite training institute, Shunsuke Mito made his professional debut for Albirex Niigata in 2021. Having become a starter in the latter half of the first season at the J2 league, he contributed to the team’s promotion to J1 in his second year. In this year, his first season in J1, he developed himself as a key player in Niigata’s attack and won the J.League’s Best Young Player Award.

At the award ceremony, the 21-year-old footballer said: ‘I want to go abroad. If I don’t, I won’t make the Paris Olympics squad or the National team. My desire to go abroad has become even stronger this year.’ Two weeks later, his wish came true as the Dutch club signed him.

The quick and versatile attacker mainly plays on the left, but can also be utilised anywhere in the second row, with skills enabling him to hold the ball in tight areas and sharp shots aiming from distance.

His style of play is similar to that of Shion Honma, who joined Club Brugge from Niigata last year. In his new club, Mito and team-mate Koki Saito could form a Japanese attacking connection.

Ryoya Morishita
Nagoya Grampus → Legia Warszawa
Date of birth: Apr 11, 1997 Height: 1,68m (5.6ft) Weight 69kg
2023 J1 League: played 33 matches, 4 goals, 4 assists

Ryoya Morishita grew up in Júbilo Iwata’s academy but failed to make the first team and went on to study at Meiji University. He emerged in his third year and was selected for the Japan Universiade team in his fourth year, going on to win the world championship.

The team included Kaoru Mitoma, Ayase Ueda and Reo Hatate, all of whom would later join the national team, but Morishita himself was not initially getting offers from J-League clubs and had even considered giving up on a professional career and going into business.

Then Sagan Tosu picked him up. With his strong physicality and running ability, he grabbed a starting position at right-back in his first year and moved to Nagoya Grampus in his second. Playing opportunities were limited at his new club, which was full of talent, but with the introduction of the back three system the following year, Morishita was brought in due to his attacking attributes and became a valuable right wing back.

This season, the 26-year-old footballer played not only on the right but also on the left, where he was fully utilised throughout the season, creating chances with high-precision crosses and scoring four goals with his powerful shots after sharp cut-ins.

In June, Morishita was called up to the national team and made his international debut against El Salvador. He was also selected for the friendly match against Thailand on 1 January next year.

With attacking mind and incredible stamina, Morishita should continue to run hard on European soil.

Keisuke Goto
Júbilo Iwata → RSC Anderlecht
Date of birth: Jun 3, 2005 Height: 1,91m (6.3ft) Weight 70kg
2023 J2 League: played 33 matches, 7 goals, 1 assists

Keisuke Goto, who signed a professional contract with Júbilo Iwata at the age of 17, made an impressive league debut in the opening game of the J2 season this year, scoring two goals straight away.

The tall striker is strong in aerial duels and good at getting in behind opponents’ backline with pace. He named Robert Lewandowski as his role model, who “can do everything and fight for the team”.

In his first year as a professional, the 18-year-old striker scored seven goals mainly as a substitute. He made quite a big contribution to the team’s promotion to J1.

With enormous potential, Goto has a dynamic style of play and a mental strength suited to professionals. After scoring a goal against Vegalta Sendai this season, he put his hands over his ears in front of the opposing supporters. On the gesture, he said: ‘I don’t think you should boo players who are not concerned, as long as you are part of the football family. I was a bit annoyed by that and wanted to pay them back with a result.” Goto revealed that he meant it to protest against the bad manners of the opposing supporters.

For the time being, the teenage prospect is likely to play for the second team at Anderlecht, but with his scoring ability and determination, it shouldn’t be long before Goto is on the pitch with the first team.