In addition to Birmingham’s many additions this summer transfer window, the Blues are linked to pounce on Gil Vicente midfielder Kanju Fujimoto as according to reports by Neil Moxley of GiveMeSport.
Fujimoto is set to join Birmingham at the expiration of his contract, joining fellow Japanese player Kyogo Furuhashi who is linked with a move to the Blues from Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais, as he struggled to make an impact following his switch to France.
Who is Kanju Fujimoto?
Fujimoto featured 50 times for Tokyo Verdy, scoring 4 goals and contributing 5 assists over a two-year tenure at the club, before departing on loan to Portuguese outfit Gil Vicente.
During his two-year loan spell, Fujimoto shone, so much so that Gil Vicente spent 600,000 euros to bring him on a permanent basis, signing a three-year deal in the summer of 2022. He made 115 appearances, contributing 11 goals and 14 assists, but will leave as a free agent this summer with his contract expiring.
Player analysis:
Operating primarily as a creative central midfielder, Fujimoto excels at creating chances and dictating the tempo of possession, with impressive creative stats during the 2024/25 Liga Portugal campaign, including 35 chances created and a 57.6% dribble success.
He thrives playing short, sharp passes that unlocks defences and regularly attempts through-balls and diagonals, as well as displaying solid positional awareness during his performances at Gil Vicente.
24/25 stats:
Successful passes: 608
Pass accuracy: 82.7%
Accurate long balls: 21
Long ball accuracy: 56.8%
Chances created: 35
Dribble success: 57.6%
Touches: 1,038
Touches in opposition box: 74
Tackles won: 71.4%
What does Fujimoto bring to Birmingham?
Fujimoto will join fellow East Asian players Seung-Ho-Paik and Tomoki Iwata at The Blues, alongside the rumoured Kyogo Furuhashi, where he’s likely to feature in the CAM position of Chris Davies’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, it seems likely that he will compete for this spot with Willum Thor Willumsson following the expiration of Luke Harris’s loan spell at the club.
Arguably, Fujimoto is an upgrade over former loanee Harris, who failed to make much of an impact last term. Fujimoto is seen as a modern, intelligent playmaker who thrives in possession-based systems, with his vision and composure making him a valuable asset to Birmingham’s frontline, with quick interplay suiting his playing style the best.
Competition from some of Birmingham’s strikers will likely occur too, as Jay Stansfield and Lyndon Dykes cameoed in this spot on a few occasions last term. Overall, this is a great pickup for The Blues, especially with it being a low-risk free transfer, who joins an already star-studded Championship squad, that already looks like one that can push for a solid season in the Championship this coming campaign.
