FC Barcelona, a prestigious club in Spain's La Liga, is interested in Japanese national soccer team winger Kaoru Mitoma (26-Brighton), according to a series of local reports.
'Mitoma is a favorite of Barcelona's staff and scouts,' said Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo on Thursday, adding, 'He has the ability to keep opponents off balance and score goals. He is especially good at breaking down defenders on the left flank.
He also noted that Mitoma had written a thesis on dribbling while at Tsukuba University, and concluded that "his qualities and intelligence will allow him to fit in at Barcelona.
Many Japanese media outlets also highlighted the Mundo Deportivo report. Tokyo Sports reported on Friday that "Barcelona, which is interested in signing Mitoma, is in sponsorship talks with Japanese companies.
The publication quoted an official from a major Japanese sports marketing agency. The official said, "Barcelona may sign a sponsorship deal with a Japanese company. There are several candidates, but an IT-themed conglomerate is the most likely."
Tokyo Sports noted that Barcelona has a huge sponsorship deal with Japanese company Rakuten through the 2021-2022 season. "Barcelona, which is facing financial difficulties, is looking for a new sponsor, targeting Japanese companies. An IT company has shown interest and negotiations are underway," the article read.
"In addition to Barcelona's brand power, Japanese companies will aim to increase their value by signing Japanese national players," the article continued, emphasizing that "Barcelona has been active in signing players such as Mitoma and Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad).
Mitoma's contract with Brighton runs until the summer of 2025. The two sides are reportedly in talks over an extension, while local reports continue to suggest that Mitoma is also of interest to major English Premier League (EPL) clubs.
"Lee Kang-in is still in top form. A few days ago, he won a gold medal at the Asian Games and received military service benefits, and now he showed his magic wand. He led the team to a big win over Tunisia, which is currently the third-best team in Africa after Morocco and Senegal according to the FIFA rankings," he said, acknowledging that Lee was a key contributor to the victory over the African powerhouse.
"It's good news for Luis Enrique that Lee is in top form after recovering from the Asian Games with the South Korean national team," he said, adding that Lee's performance after the A-Match could be a big boost for Paris Saint-Germain. 먹튀검증
These comments and his recent performances could be a big plus for Lee, who will be returning to his club in about a month's time. When it was originally confirmed that Lee would be leaving PSG for the Asian Games, there were some concerns about him being away from the team.
According to French outlet Footsur7, "Lee will be away from PSG for a while due to the Asian Games. It's unclear if this departure will help him," and "He's taking a big risk at PSG. He has yet to prove himself at PSG and is still a long way from showing what he is capable of. He envisions himself fighting for a place in Luis Enrique's group, but he's preparing to miss a few more games with the South Korean national team at the Asian Games," expressing doubts about Lee's place in the starting lineup after his absence.
"The problem that will come for him is the consolidation of the PSG best 11. Obviously, he will have less time than others to convince Enrique to have confidence in him. It's a big risk to leave the team for even two weeks when there are so many talented players fighting for a starting spot," he said, adding that the Asian Games absence could have a negative impact on the competition for a starting spot.
However, he has been in top form at the Asian Games, winning a gold medal while maintaining his fitness and scoring a multi-goal performance in his first A-League match in October, so it is likely that he will be given the opportunity to compete for a starting spot based on his performance at the tournament.
In fact, PSG had struggled in the three games leading up to the October A-Match, winning one, drawing one, and losing one. They drew with relegation-threatened Clermont and suffered a 1-4 defeat against Newcastle in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League group stage. With Vitinha and Weren Zaire-Emericka struggling in the middle of the park, Enrique could be tempted to give Lee a run for his money.
Enrique started Lee in both the first and second rounds of the league before he was injured against Toulouse in the second leg. Upon his return from injury, Enrique immediately tested his fitness in the first leg of the Champions League group stage against Dortmund. If Enrique's faith in him continues, he could be handed a chance as soon as the October A match.