If you want to be selected for the coach's national team, go to the top five European leagues...The defender feels a sense of crisis, leaving the second part and making a surprise move to the Bundesliga
Aug 26, 2025
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The Bremen local newspaper said on the 25th (Korea time) that Sugawara will leave Southampton and join Bremen. Having already arrived in Bremen, we are discussing contract details with club officials after completing a medical test.' It appears to be in a state of 'geofficial' (almost official) with only the presentation left.
It is known that it was none other than the manager of the Japanese national soccer team, Hajime Moriyasu, who encouraged Sugawara's transfer. Southampton manager Will Steele said of Sugawara, who was excluded from the list against Stoke City on the 23rd, `If a national team coach is to play for the national team, he has to play in the top five leaguesDura"
As the number of European big leaguers from Japan has increased in recent years, Moriyasu's eye level seems to have increased that much. In June's 6-0 defeat of Indonesia, a large number of big leaguers, including Endo Wataru (Liverpool), Kubo Takefusa (Real Sociedad), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), and Kota Takai (Tottenham), were selected.
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Sugawara is a former Nagoya Grampers youth and set foot on the European stage by joining AZ Alkmaar in 2019 from Nagoya. Sugawara, who expanded his position from Alkmaar's first team to the main full-back from 2020 to 2024, joined Southampton in 2024 for the fourth time as a Japanese. Southampton scored one goal in 30 English Premier League (EPL) games in 2024-2025 when they were relegated.
He remained with the team this season and played in two championship games, but suddenly left the team at the end of the transfer market. Sugawara was not included in the A-match list in June due to Southampton's sluggishness. The 2025-2026 season is important for the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup finals.
As a result, the number of Japanese players playing in the Bundesliga this season has increased by one more. Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Doan Ritz (Eintracht Frankfurt), Machino Shuto (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Yuito Suzuki (Freiburg), and Kaishu Sano (Mainz) are on the Bundesliga stage.
If Sugawara is confirmed to join Bremen, he will play a club Korea-Japan match against Munich's Kim Min-jae at Allianz Arena on September 27.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
