Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger tips Takuma Asano for stardom after clinching deal for Japan striker
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has tipped Japan striker Takuma Asano as a star of the future after the Gunners agreed a deal for the 21-year-old.
Asano is set to join from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, subject to receiving a work permit, where he scored 11 goals in 56 appearances and was in 2015 voted the J-League’s Rookie of the Year.
“Takuma is a talented young striker and very much one for the future,” said Wenger. “He has had an impressive start to his career in Japan and we look forward to him developing over the next couple of years.”
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Asano, who is likely to miss the start of the season while he represents Japan at the Olympic Games, is Arsenal’s second signing of the summer, after Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka.
Wenger failed with a £20m move for England forward’s Jamie Vardy, who is expected to sign an improved contract with champions Leicester instead, and has also been linked with Spain’s Alvaro Morata.
Former Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta has chosen to join new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s coaching team following his retirement as a player.
Leicester, meanwhile, have made broken their transfer record with the £13m signing of French midfielder Nampalys Mendy from Nice.
Mendy, 24, is the Foxes’ fourth arrival of the close season, after Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, Sporting Gijon defender Luis Fernandez and teenage forward Raul Uche from Rayo Vallecano.