Japanese Star Kaoru Mitoma Extends Brighton Stay

Kaoru Mitoma has just penned a deal that'll keep him with Brighton in the Premier League until 2027

Japanese football sensation Kaoru Mitoma has just penned a deal that'll keep him with Brighton in the Premier League until 2027, putting to rest all the speculations about his future.

Mitoma, who's 26 years old and used to play for Kawasaki Frontale, joined Brighton in 2021, but in the 2021/22 season, he was loaned out to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.

Since his arrival at Brighton in August 2021, Mitoma has been on fire. In his 52 appearances for the club, he's netted 13 goals and provided 12 assists.

Notably, he holds the record for the most goals scored by a Japanese player in a single Premier League season. By the end of the 2022/23 season, he had seven goals to his name, breaking the previous record held by Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa.

Brighton had a fantastic season, finishing sixth in the Premier League, earning themselves a spot in the Europa League.

This season, Mitoma has continued to shine, contributing three goals and three assists in eight games in the top-flight league. Unsurprisingly, other clubs are keen on acquiring his talents, with Brighton currently standing at sixth place ahead of a showdown with the reigning champions, Manchester City.

Coach Roberto De Zerbi couldn't be happier, describing Mitoma as the "best player" in a recent club statement. Technical Director David Weir echoed the excitement, emphasizing the significance of securing Mitoma's quality for the long term and predicting that he'll become a crucial figure for the team.