Tokyo International News Agency

Mito HollyHock midfielder Shunsuke Saito (20) has begun negotiations and preparations for a move to an overseas club, the club announced on the 28th. The young talent, who played a remarkable role as a driving force in their J2 League championship bid, is now highly likely to spread his wings to the world stage. This season, Saito featured in 27 J2 League matches, scoring 8 goals and significantly contributing to the team's strong performance. His standout contributions were recognized with a selection to the Best Eleven and an award for Best Goal, quickly drawing attention from overseas clubs. This marks an overseas challenge for him just three years after joining Mito HollyHock, having previously played for Yokohama F. Marinos Junior Youth and Kirigakuen High School. Due to these preparations for an international transfer, Saito has been omitted from the U-23 Japan national team squad for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, which was also announced on the same day. Head Coach Go Oiwa express...

Mito HollyHock, affectionately known as "Mito-chan" and a long-time competitor in the J2 League, has finally clinched the J2 championship and achieved its long-cherished dream of promotion to J1. This historic feat has been met with an outpouring of congratulatory messages from numerous football fans and supporters of other clubs on X (formerly Twitter). As symbolized by celebratory posts such as, "Mito HollyHock are J2 champions! Mito-chan has finally won the crown. The passionate support of their fans has paid off 🏆," many people had eagerly awaited this moment. Of particular note was a deeply emotional tweet: "The AA crown created on 2channel ages ago has become a real crown...!" Long-time fans are profoundly moved that an internet meme born years ago has materialized into real-life glory. With 31 years since the club's founding, many are touched by the championship, having overcome a history of struggles, including sentiments like, "I remem...