'I hope to enjoy myself' - Yu Hirakawa's first words after becoming a Bristol City player

New Bristol City winger Yu Hirakawa admits he’s been his dream to test himself in European football after completing his move to Ashton Gate from J-League side Machida Zelvia.

Hirakawa will wear the No7 shirt for the Robins after agreeing a move to the West Country initially on loan before making the deal permanent in January. City have effectively agreed a loan fee with Machida to sign the 23-year-old now, rather than risk losing him to a rival when he becomes a free agent at the start of 2025, similar to the strategy that has now brought midfielder Max Bird to BS3 from Derby County.

City have become Hirakawa’s second professional club and his first outside of his homeland, with the 23-year-old having spent the last three years with Machida, who signed him from Yamanashi Gakuin University.

Bristol Live understands the Japan Under-23 international has been taking English lessons over the last few months, in anticipation of a possible move abroad, and has a basic grasp of the language in order to communicate on and off the pitch, but elected to conduct his first public interview with the club in his native tongue.

“This is my first transfer, so I’m very happy as it has been my dream to challenge myself in European football,” Hirakawa said. “I’m really looking forward to starting and I have a strong desire to perform in the Championship.

“I like dribbling and at the same time, I like to work hard both offensively and defensively. I hope to enjoy myself and to grow as a footballer as well as a person.”

Hirakawa will fly out to Portugal to meet his new City teammates at their training camp before he joins up with the Japan squad for the Paris Olympics, with the football tournament kicking off on July 24.

An early elimination would mean Hirakawa is free to return to City from July 31, but should Japan progress in the competition, he may not become available until after the gold medal match on August 9, with the Robins’ Championship opener against Hull City the following day.

“To be selected for the Olympics was one of my dreams and I want to do my best for Japan,” Hirakawa added. “I can’t wait to meet the manager and my new teammates."

With the 2024 J-League season 22 games in, and Hirakawa - who’s scored twice and added five assists - having made 18 appearances this term, including his “emotional” farewell appearance on Saturday against Nagoya Grampus, added to his likely game time in France, his match fitness should be a high level, with the only concern then being his general adaptation to his new surroundings and the Championship itself.

It should make for a considerable depature from the familiarites of the J-League, and the two notable successes from that nation in the second tier last season - Tatsuhiro Sakamoto at Coventry and Birmingham City’s Koyi Miyoshi - played in Belgium before arriving in England.

That being said, Korean forward Bae Jun-ho was named Stoke’s Player of the Season after his debut campaign in the division with the Potters having signed the 20-year-old from K-League outfit Daejeon Hana Citizen with no experience outside of his home nation.

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