Aoba Fujino says being happy on and off the pitch has played a big role in her penning a new contract with City until 2030.
The Japan international has clocked up 52 appearances for the Blues so far, scoring 11 goals and was a key member of Andrée Jeglertz’s title winning side last season.
Still only 22, the former Tokyo Verdy Beleza star admits she has grown as a player and a person since her move to Manchester and is looking forward to many more seasons of success.
CITY V ARSENAL | GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
“[My team-mates] are so important, honestly,” said Fujino.
“Coming to play abroad for the first time, there have been so many tough moments.
“But having people around me who support me, not just in football, but in life too, has been such a huge source of strength.
Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlaySkip backward 5 secondsSkip forward 10 secondsMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently behind liveLIVERemaining Time -0:001xPlayback RateChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio TrackPicture-in-PictureFullscreenCast to ChromecastThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentText BackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentCaption Area BackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop shadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsResetDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Watch video for free with a Cityzens account Register Sign in
Loading your video
“Having those people with me is a big reason why City has felt like home, I genuinely believe that. They mean so much to me.
“Living alone and living abroad were all completely new to me so I’d say I’ve become a lot more independent [since joining the Club].
“Being around people from different cultures and backgrounds and sharing everyday life with them has helped me understand myself so much better.”
SHOP YOUR AOBA FUJINO #20 SHIRT HERE
Already approaching 50 senior caps for Japan, Fujino also believes she is creating memories that will last a lifetime at City.
Our long wait for a second WSL title ended last season, with the Blues also winning the FA Cup for good measure.
It marked the most successful season in our professional era, but our Japanese forward is thirsty for more of the same…
She added when asked for her proudest moment in a City shirt so far: “What stands out most to me is winning the league last season, and the FA Cup, too.
“Those were really unforgettable moments, pushing myself alongside such great team-mates and watching it actually show in the results is something I want to keep building on.
“Turning that hard work into something real is what I’ll always remember.”
Fujino signs new City deal
A person in a Manchester City jersey poses with fists raised beside text '2030', 'Manchester City' logo, and name 'Aoba Fujino'.
Five-star Fujino: Aoba’s best City goals