Takuma Asano says he was initially hesitant about joining Arsenal before his friends and family helped persuade him to accept the challenge.
The striker, who signed from J-League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima last month, will join up with the Gunners when he returns from the Rio Olympics where he’s featuring for Japan.
Admitting he’s excited by the whirlwind turn of events, Asano told FIFA.com he’ll do his best to get in the Arsenal first team this year although he admits he may have to wait for his chance to shine in the Premier League.
“I’ve always wanted to play abroad and I had a few offers before but I was never sure if I should go or not,” he said on the eve of the tournament.
“Once I was called up for the top national team where there are a lot of players playing abroad. Playing with them made me think that I also want to play and challenge in a foreign league.
“And then I had the offer from Arsenal. Of course, I was still not sure whether to go or not. I talked with my family and friends and felt good about the decision after talking with them.”
“I’m ecstatic about everything! With the Olympics and also for Arsenal—I’m still not sure if I’ll actually play for Arsenal right away in the coming season, but definitely I’ll try my best.
“My motto is to give 100 per cent for what’s ahead of myself, so I just want to give my best to everything, whether it be for the Olympics or the new season. Even for my career after the Olympics, I definitely want to try to make the top national team.”
If you want to watch Asano in action, you can do so tonight when Japan open their Olympic campaign against Nigeria at 9pm local time.
is tonight Kelechi vs asano?
or like iwobi, is kelechi not playing?
Kelechi nwakali is not part of Nigeria’s olympic team.
I just dont know what to make out of this signing.
Give him a chance first.
I can imagine him going ‘grrrrr’ with his claw hands.
Is his bear celebration a tribute to Kuma from Tekken?
no it’s a jaguar, which is his nickname in Japan, just hope to god he doesn’t use that celebration if he scores for us.
When he scores you mean, because he will. And he loves that celebration so yeah unfortunately he’s doing it. Guess it’s part of his brand or something. I mean he’s already doing it in Arsenal colours right there. And he hasn’t even scored. To be fair though, joining the Gunners is a big big achievement. Even Suarez, Huguain etc. couldn’t make it.
On what’s tv channel
Don’t know why he was so hesitant in joining Arsenal. Self confidence issues maybe?
Imagine if at university leaving age a huge Japanese company offered you a 4 year contract to go and work for them and said if you do very well with some luck you’ll move up the ladder to become very well paid, but you know if something goes wrong you’re isolated in a country where you understand neither language nor culture. Would you take them up on it without thinking first?
I’d take up the offer in a heartbeat. No thinking required other than a cursory “shit, one of the biggest companies in the world is giving me the opportunity to prove myself at the highest level possible”. If Arsenal was the only club in for him, and he turned the opportunity down, he would have zero ambition.
I hope Asano will show the quality of his abilities to justify why he signed with Arsenal.
He looks pretty good to me. Whether it’s good enough is another thing. Think he’ll work hard though.
Agreed. Fingers crossed he’ll make the grade.
What the hell are you doing man? Comments that makes sense aren’t allowed on this site. Now you gotta pay the price by getting downvoted.
You must be thinking of some other site I won’t mention.
On the bench for Japan v Nigeria.