Japanese football is getting stronger day by day. This time, national team center-back Goki Machida (28) and midfielder Joel Chima Fujita (23) have entered the Bundesliga.

TSG Hoffenheim announced on the 28th (Korea time) through the club's website that "the club has strengthened its defense by signing national team defender Machida. The 27-year-old left-footed center-back has signed a long-term contract with Hoffenheim after leaving Belgian champion Royal Union Saint-Gilloise."

Andreas Beck, Hoffenheim's sports director, welcomed Machida. He noted, "Machida is a central defender with the qualities we were looking for. He has gained international experience as a national team player and was a key figure in Royal Union Saint-Gilloise's championship victory last season. He is a strong defender who is not afraid of a challenge."

Beck added, "Thanks to his height, Machida is strong in aerial duels, has a wide field of vision, and possesses accurate interception skills. I am confident that he will provide the stability our defense needs with his presence and outstanding abilities."

Born in 1997, Machida boasts a height of 190 cm and is a left-footed center-back. He started his professional career in 2016 wearing a Kashima Antlers jersey after coming through the youth ranks. He then moved to Saint-Gilloise on loan in 2022 and performed well, successfully completing a permanent transfer the following summer.

Last season, Machida played in 48 official matches, responsible for the defense of Saint-Gilloise. Thanks to his efforts, Saint-Gilloise secured the Belgium Championship title for the first time in 90 years. He has also played 17 A matches for the Japanese national team, having gone through the age-group teams.

Hoffenheim approached Machida, paying a transfer fee of 4.5 million euros (about 7.2 billion won) to sign him. According to Germany's 'Kicker', this amount could rise to over 5 million euros (about 8 billion won) depending on future bonuses.

Machida will wear number 28 at Hoffenheim and is set to take on the German stage. He becomes the second Japanese player to play for Hoffenheim after Takashi Usami. Hoffenheim finished 15th in the Bundesliga last season.

Machida is entering a big European league for the first time. He expressed, "I am really happy that my transfer to Hoffenheim has been completed. Hoffenheim is a very exciting and ambitious club competing in the Bundesliga, one of the top five leagues in Europe. For me, the transfer to Hoffenheim and the Bundesliga is the next step in my career as a player. I am looking forward to starting with my new teammates. I will do my best to succeed with the team."

Meanwhile, Japanese football is celebrating not only Machida but also the emergence of another Bundesliga player. On the same day, midfielder Fujita, born in 2002, transferred from Sint-Truiden to FC St. Pauli. The specific transfer fee and contract period have not been disclosed.

Fujita is a mixed-race player born to a Nigerian father and a Japanese mother. As a central midfielder, he has followed an elite path through Japan's age-group national teams and made his A match debut in July 2022. He assisted in a match against Korea at that time. Although he has since distanced himself from the national team, he participated in the World Cup qualifying match against Australia earlier this month and played the full time.

Fujita joined Sint-Truiden in 2023, making his debut on the European stage, and immediately secured a starting position. He notably won the club's Player of the Year award last season, which has led to his transfer to St. Pauli. This is also Fujita's first move to a big league.

Andreas Bornemann, the sports director, stated, "Fujita is a player who possesses game sense, dynamism, and defensive strength. He is technically skilled and, despite his young age, has already gained international experience. I am confident he will be a valuable asset to the team."

Japan is increasing its number of big league players at a much faster pace than Korea. Not only Machida and Fujita but also center-back Kota Takai (Kawasaki Frontale), born in 2004, is set to transfer to Tottenham Hotspur. The transfer fee is expected to be 5 million pounds (about 9.3 billion won), which would set a new record for the highest overseas transfer fee in J-League history.

[Photo] Hoffenheim, St. Pauli social media.

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