After completing his transfer from J-League team Machida Zelvia to Ashton Gate, new Bristol City winger Yu Hirakawa says it has always been his desire to challenge himself in European football.
Hirakawa, who agreed to travel to the West Country initially on loan before making the deal permanent in January, will wear the No. 7 shirt for the Robins. Similar to the plan that has now brought midfielder Max Bird to BS3 from Derby County, City have essentially agreed to a loan fee with Machida to sign the 23-year-old now rather than risk losing him to a rival when he becomes a free agent at the start of 2025.
City have become Hirakawa’s second professional club and his first outside of his homeland, with the 23-year-old having spent the last three years with Machida, who signed him from Yamanashi Gakuin University.
Although Bristol Live is aware that the Japan Under-23 international has been taking English classes recently in preparation for a potential move overseas, and that he speaks the language fluently enough to get by both on and off the pitch, the player chose to speak his home language during his first public interview with the team.
Hirakawa remarked, “I’m very happy about this as it’s my first transfer and I’ve always wanted to challenge myself in European football.” “I’m eager to compete in the Championship and I’m definitely looking forward to starting.
“I enjoy dribbling, but I also enjoy working hard on defence and offence at the same time. I want to have fun and develop as a football player as well as a person.”
Hirakawa will fly out to Portugal to meet his new City teammates at their training camp before he joins up with the Japan squad for the Paris Olympics, with the football tournament kicking off on July 24.
An early elimination would mean Hirakawa is free to return to City from July 31, but should Japan progress in the competition, he may not become available until after the gold medal match on August 9, with the Robins’ Championship opener against Hull City the following day.
“To be selected for the Olympics was one of my dreams and I want to do my best for Japan,” Hirakawa added. “I can’t wait to meet the manager and my new teammates.”
Leave a Reply