Leeds United’s Yosuke Ideguchi is facing missing out on the World Cup.
Leeds United midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi is facing potential World Cup heartbreak with Japan.
Ideguchi played a starring role in qualification but his dream move to Europe has backfired in the short term.
Japan will announce their final 23 today (May 31).
Leeds sent the midfielder out on loan to Spanish second division side Cultural Leonesa, but despite arriving with much fanfare, he failed to establish himself in the side.
He was included in Japan’s preliminary 35 man World Cup squad, but missed their March friendlies when he was not selected.
Yesterday he received a small glimmer of hope ahead of their cut down to the final 23.
Japan played a friendly this afternoon against Ghana, and Ideguchi came on for the final 14 minutes.
This was Ideguchi’s first taste of action since February, but still his prospects do not look good.
Not making the XI could work in his favour at Leeds as it would allow him to get back to pre-season early, but after starring in qualification for Japan, not making the World Cup would clearly be a disappointment, and a direct result of his January switch to Europe.
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