Gladbach promote young Japanese striker to professsional squad
Borussia Mönchengladbach have promoted 19-year-old Japanese striker Shio Fukuda to the senior squad.
After an encouraging January training camp and a game-winning goal in a recent test fixture, 19-year-old Japanese striker Shio Fukuda has earned a place with the Borussia Mönchengladbach professional squad. Gladbach confirmed a permanent place on the senior team roster for the teenage talent on Tuesday. The young forward has scored five goals in 13 appearances for the BMG reserves over the past year.
Fukuda will take the roster place of the recently loaned out Yvandro Borges Sanches. The Japanese youth international will get a chance to play alongside countrymen Ko Itakura once the latter returns from international duty at the AFC Asian Cup. Fukuda signed the Gladbach academy in October of 2022, plucked directly from his High School team.
"Shio has proven himself time and again in recent weeks and months: whether in talent training, in matches with the U23s or in training with the professional," BMG personnel boss Nils Schmadtke noted in a statement accompanying the news, "We've always kept an eye on Shio. He's earned a permanent place in the locker room."
Hast du dir verdient, Shio! 💚 Shio #Fukuda ist ab sofort Teil des Profikaders. #dieFohlen #FohlenStall pic.twitter.com/8Ek7vWahYu
— Borussia (@borussia) January 16, 2024