Bristol City continue to broaden transfer horizons with expected addition of Japanese winger

Bristol City are set to make a second signing this week with Japanese winger Yu Hirakawa joining on loan with a view to a permanent transfer.

Hirakawa is the fabled “No7”, first mentioned by Brian Tinnion on the Forever Bristol City podcast at the start of June and the 22-year-old is expected to follow Rapid Vienna striker Fally Mayulu as the Robins’ early business in the window.

Hirakawa has spent the last four years with Tokyo-based J-League side Machida Zelvia, who have risen from non-league status to the top-flight, and has scored 12 goals and added 11 assists in 71 appearances, while also being called up Under-23 level by his country.

Ostensibly a right-winger, he played in the second half of Japan’s 2-0 friendly victory over the United States and is set to feature for his country at the Olympics, which will delay his arrival in the West Country.

The tournament in France runs from July 24 until August 10, meaning Hirakawa won’t be able to be considered for first-team action until after the 2024/25 season has kicked off.

He will become the first Japanese player to represent City and is further evidence of the club’s widening transfer horizons with Mayulu set to join from Austrian Bundesliga side Rapid Vienna and the club are also in talks with Dinamo Zagreb over a move for Croatian striker Sandro Kulenovic.

Hirakawa would also become the third forward from his country to be brought into the Championship over the last 12 months, with Koji Miyoshi and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto flourishing at Birmingham City and Coventry City, respectively, last term.

Although a degree of patience will be required around Hirakawa and Mayulu, both young talents playing in England and having to adapt to the culture and league, they should bring different attributes to the City squad.

One of which is express pace, something head coach Liam Manning increasingly bemoaned towards the end of last season as City sometimes struggled to get beyond teams with too much of their football played in front of opposing defenders.

Nahki Wells, Tommy Conway, Sam Bell and Mark Sykes are quick players, but don’t possess destructive pace to truly open a team up, something City hope over time, Hirakawa and Mayulu can bring.

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