JAPAN’S BEST PAY, NOT PLAY

JUNICHI INAMOTO was the first. He joined Arsenal from Gamba Osaka in 2001 in a move that was obviously big in Japan. Every week a knot of journalists from his homeland would gather expectantly at Arsenal’s training ground for Arsene Wenger’s press conference.

They always asked the same question. ‘Inamoto — he play?’ ‘No,’ Wenger would say, with the tiniest shake of the head. It says something of Japanese perseverance that they never gave up asking. Inamoto did not feature in a league game for Arsenal before having a briefly underwhelming career with Fulham and West Bromwich Albion.

Since when, well not much really. Kazuyuki Toda made no impression at Tottenham Hotspur, Ryo Miyaichi at Arsenal was another bust and Hidetoshi Nakata played one season at Bolton Wanderers, on loan. Shinji Kagawa did not live up to expectations at Manchester United but was at least a signing of significance, while Maya Yoshida’s 66 appearances for Southampton are the most played by a Japanese footballer at a Premier League club.

Why? Jose Mourinho provided a clue this week. He admitted that commercial factors could affect the pursuit of a player. Chelsea have a new tie-up with Yokohama Rubber and a sudden interest in FC Tokyo forward Yoshinori Muto. ‘I know a little of him,’ Mourinho said, adding that Financial Fair Play had made clubs more aware of the implications of transfers. He insisted Chelsea would never buy a player that wasn’t a good prospect.

Of course not — but a good prospect, how? The prospect of a Japanese player being the face of Chelsea in Asia is very good; but, Muto, he play? No.