Sky Bet Championship side Leeds United have completed the signing of Japanese starlet Yosuke Ideguchi, according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Phil Hay.
The Yorkshire side had been heavily linked with the rising star from Asia, with Hay reporting yesterday that he was “set to complete his transfer to Leeds United in the next 24 hours”, while last year a combination of Victor Orta and a Japanese media report first announced the potential signing.
An expected struggle for Leeds United was meeting the criteria from the Government in order to grant Ideguchi a work permit. However Hay confirmed today that he would immediately join Cultural Leonesa on loan until the end-of-the-season, thus granting the Whites more time to sort his eligibility to play in England.
Leonesa find themselves needing as much help as available as they currently sit fifth from bottom in the Spanish Second Division having won just four of the 21 League fixtures.
The Whites had the option of sending Ideguchi straight into their current first-team for the remainder of the Sky Bet Championship, however instead they have opposed that option as they see him as a potential asset for next season.
Ideguchi joins the Whites as their first ever Japanese player. The 21-year-old helped Japan qualify for this summer’s World Cup in Russia and a £500,000 deal was agreed at the beginning of December.
Ideguchi has 10 full international caps to his name and his goal in the 2-0 win Australia in August secured his nation’s qualifiication for this summer’s tournament. The 21-year-old spent four years with Gamba Osaka, making almost 100 appearances, and was awarded the Young Player of the Year for the J League in 2016.
