Kaoru Mitoma, valued at £6.6 million, withdrew from the Japan squad earlier this week, citing an unspecified injury. This incident echoes his previous withdrawal from the national team squad in October for similarly vague reasons, only to return and play a full 90 minutes against Manchester City in his comeback match.
However, this time around, The Athletic’s Andy Naylor suggests that the winger is likely to be absent for the upcoming Saturday trip to Nottingham Forest. In a joint statement with the Japan Football Association, Mitoma expressed:
“Since this is a World Cup qualifier, I joined the team believing in my potential to contribute. Unfortunately, seeing as I won’t be able to play at 100 per cent, I’ve decided to let my teammates play on my behalf, as much as I regret doing so. For now, I will work hard on recovering as soon as possible.” – Kaoru Mitoma
It’s worth noting that Mitoma’s teammate, Evan Ferguson (£6.1m), successfully recovered from a back injury that sidelined him in Gameweek 12, allowing him to secure a spot in the Republic of Ireland’s starting XI on Saturday.
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