https://www5.targma.jp/nomilksato/2024/06/16/post290/
After the end of the 18th round Sanfrecce Hiroshima v Tokyo Verdy, midfielder Takumu Kawamura wept alone. The scene on the pitch made everyone realise that he would be leaving the team after this match. The expressions on his face as he circled the field, the scene where he was being cheered on in the team circle, combined with the events that had been reported in the media up to that day, meant that even fans and supporters could understand the situation.
At 22:00, an hour after the match, a release from Hiroshima officials stated that he was leaving the team to prepare for his transfer abroad. This was acknowledged at the press conference of manager Michael Skibbe, which had taken place just prior to that. It was the moment when the boy who dreamed of becoming a Hiroshima player, who frequented the stadium as a fan, who had been in the lower divisions and had secured promotion to the top flight, took off with a new goal in mind, watched over by the two coaches who had laid the foundations of his career.
The day before, midfielder Taketo Notsuda had also left the team to prepare for and negotiate a move to BG Pathum United (Thailand), who had been selected for the first time for Japan in the 2022 E-1 Championship, but had not been involved in the league for long in the Skibbe system. He was not involved in any of the league games for a long time. His preparation began with a match as part of the squad that played in Wednesday’s 11-2 victory in the Emperor’s Cup.
● New challenges for midfielder Takumu Kawamura and midfielder Taketo Notsuda.
Two players who have supported Hiroshima’s midfield leave the team. The transfer of an experienced and current Japan national team player is a blow to the team. However, both players may also gain something hard to gain in terms of player experience: midfielder Gakuto Notsuda’s potential destination, BG Patum United, finished fourth in the league in the 2023-2024 season and thus failed to qualify for the ACL Elite in the league standings. However, they will face Muang Thong United FC in the final of the Thai FA Cup on the evening of 16th today as this article goes to press. The winner will qualify for the ACL Elite play-offs. They have a chance to compete in the new Asian summit competition.
Another potential destination for midfielder Takumu Kawamura is Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, a team familiar to the Japanese as they have had players such as defender Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and midfielder Takumi Minamino, who have been offered a place in the new Club World Cup, which will take place next year. The host country is the USA and the tournament is also a preparation for the North and Central American World Cup to be held in 2026. In the recent match between Japan and Syria in Hiroshima, midfielder Takumu Kawamura played amid thunderous applause and cheers, but after the game he said, “What I lack is everything”. He will go to Europe in search of what he lacks, but it will be a great advantage for him to gain experience that is hard to get from other players.
Now, while their story is important, the problem is Sanfrecce Hiroshima. With the upcoming participation in the tournament to ACL2, the number of players will be reduced, if not increased. We will consider what Hiroshima will do in the transfer market this summer.
