Ex-Leeds United midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi returned to Gamba Osaka this summer.
Leeds United took a calculated gamble on Yosuke Ideguchi in 2017, teeing up a deal to sign him from Gamba Osaka ahead of starting his career with the club in 2018.
Billed as one of Japan’s hottest young talents, Ideguchi was expected to be a real talent for the future at Leeds, but it didn’t really work out.
He was unable to receive a work permit, struggled on loan at Cultural Leonesa and missed out on Japan’s 2018 World Cup squad and then suffered a major knee injury last season to curtail his Greuther Furth loan spell.
This summer, it was no great surprise to see Ideguchi return home. The midfielder has re-joined Gamba Osaka, and given that he is still just 23, he has plenty of time to get his career back on track.
Ideguchi is already back in action for Gamba Osaka, and he’s now been joined, somewhat ironically, by a Marcelo Bielsa favourite in Markel Susaeta.
Earlier this week, the J-League side snapped up free agent winger Susaeta, as confirmed on their official website, with the 31-year-old joining the likes of David Villa and Andres Iniesta in the J-League.
Susaeta was a key player for Athletic Bilbao under Leeds boss Bielsa, playing an important role in the club’s run to the Europa League final in 2012.
It’s now a somewhat strange twist of fate that a player Bielsa seemingly had no use for at Leeds is now playing in the same team as a player who was vital to Bielsa in Spain, and Gamba Osaka will be hoping they can both have a huge impact.
Maybe the pair can exchange stories about Bielsa whilst in Japan together; though Susaeta may have some better tales of the Argentinian given Ideguchi’s limited time in England.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
