Southampton have officially confirmed the signing of midfielder Kuryu Matsuki from FC Tokyo.
He becomes the third player from Japan to sign for Saints in the last few weeks, following the footsteps of Yukinari Sugawara and teenager Rento Takaoka.
The 21-year-old, who has captained Japan's Under-20 side and been capped 18 times at Under-23 level and won the Asian Cup, has put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Saints.
An energetic ball-winning midfielder with an eye for goal, he has made 71 appearances in the J League since making his debut as an 18-year-old, chipping in with five goals and providing 10 assists along the way. As a result of his performances in 2023, Matsuki won AFC Youth Player of the Year.
All the latest EPL club news | Team-by-team Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings
However, he will not head to St Mary's until 2025, with the club immediately loaning him out to sister-club Goztepe, where he will feature in the top tier of Turkish football following the club's promotion.
MORE: Southampton in 'advanced talks' to sign Villarreal striker
