Quicker than a Shinkansen Bullet train, Birmingham City have sealed deals for two highly-rated Japanese internationals.
After being eyed by Manchester City just last season, Birmingham City struck a deal for ex-Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi. He could reportedly cost BCFC as much as £10m.
This was swiftly followed by a three-year deal for fellow countryman Kanya Fujimoto, a dynamic attacking midfielder from Gil Vicente.
birmingham city, Birmingham City go big in Japan: How statement deals could benefit Blues on and off the pitch
Image courtesy of: PEDRO NUNES/REUTERS.
Birmingham City have been working tirelessly to confirm all recruits signed on the dotted line in time to fly out to Portugal for the commencement of pre season training camp this week.
Six of the best for Birmingham City
The signings complete a pleasingly efficient window for Blues to date, who had effectively already secured the services U21s European Championship-winning ‘keeper James Beadle from Brighton prior the Young Lions’ glory.
In addition 2. Bundesliga standout Phil Neumann, returning prodigal son Demarai Gray, Wolves’ highly-rated ex midfielder Tommy Doyle and Bright Osayi Samuel from Fenerbahce have all arrived too.
birmingham city, Birmingham City go big in Japan: How statement deals could benefit Blues on and off the pitch
Image courtesy of: HAMAD I MOHAMMED/REUTERS.
The signings represent a huge leap forward in quality and depth for a club clearly not building a team to make up the numbers this year in the Championship.
Blues’ Japanese trio – the lucky number san?
The signing of Fujimoto and Furuhashi brings forth a new Japanese trinity through the middle of the park for Birmingham City, who made arguably the signing of the season last year when they secured Celtic midfielder Tomoki Iwata.
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He played a crucial role in BCFC’s record breaking season, unexpectedly firing eight goals and two assists from deep in the midfield engine room – most notably a long range thunderbolt against Newcastle United in the FA Cup.
The signing of Fujimoto has been greeted positively following the expiration of his contract at Gil Vicente. He was a solid player in the Portuguese top flight, but entirely unproven in the cut and thrust of the Championship.
But, it is the capture of Kyogo Furuhashi that has really set pulses racing and raised eyebrows in the football community.
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birmingham city, Birmingham City go big in Japan: How statement deals could benefit Blues on and off the pitch
Image courtesy of: RUSSELL CHEYNE/REUTERS.
Looked at by Manchester City last year, the striker, who is equally adept playing across either flank, plundered 85 goals in 165 games for Celtic, walking away with 10 cup and league titles in his time there as well as top goalscorer gong in 2022/23.
Aged 30 with five goals in 23 games for Japan and 122 goals in 285 career matches games to date, it’s easy to argue Birmingham City have signed a forward in his peak years. This can only be a positive for a club aiming for the very top and already in possession of talismanic Jay Stansfield.
Land of the Rising Brum
So, what is the thinking behind the BCFC scouting team heading for the Land of the Rising Sun when acquiring players?
On the face of these transfers, Fujimoto comes with zero fee on a free transfer, while Furuhashi is more of a statement buy, even if only £6m of the potential £10m fee is paid up front. Neither deal will be not too impactful on the budget. More interestingly though, if you dig deeper, is the commercial incentive Birmingham City seem to have shrewdly identified.
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The Japanese football market is a growing sector with a vibrant culture and increasing global interest.
In 2025, the football apparel market is projected to reach over $3.81 billion, with a CAGR of 4.9% from 2025 to 2032.Revenue in the broader soccer market is expected to reach $1.79 billion in 2025, with a 2.45% annual growth rate leading to $1.98 billion by 2029.
As such, the BCFC moves for Fujimoto and Furuhashi have huge upsides from the footballing angle. However, as Birmingham City hold long-term ambitions of becoming a national and global powerhouse, tapping into overseas markets could be a huge source of profit.
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