Ryunosuke Sato

2025: Loan to Fagiano Okayama In January 2025, Satō joined fellow-J1 League side Fagiano Okayama on a year-long loan deal. He scored for Fagiano Okayama in the inaugural "China Derby" against fellow-Chūgoku region-based side Sanfrecce Hiroshima on 12 April 2025, the only goal in Fagiano Okayama's 1–0 win. This goal was his second for the club, having already scored against Cerezo Osaka the week before, and he followed it with a goal in Fagiano Okayama's next match against Kashima Antlers. This run of goalscoring form led him to being named April's J1 League Young Player of the Month.

Further J1 League Young Player of the Month awards followed in both July and October, as his performances continued to draw plaudits from Japanese media. At the end of the season, he was named the J1 League Young Player of the Year, highlighting a successful personal campaign with Fagiano Okayama as he helped the club to a 13th-place finish in their first year in the J1 League.

Valencia On 7 July 2026, Satō signed for Valencia on a contract until 2031, with the intention of becoming the first Japanese player to play for the first team.

International career Youth Having returned early from the 2024 Maurice Revello Tournament after withdrawing from the squad, Satō was called up to the Japan under-23 side for a friendly against France on 17 July 2024. Just one week later he featured for Japan's under-19 side, scoring two goals against the Ryukoku University in a 4–2 training match win. He later expressed his disappointment in not being able to help Japan win the tournament, after they were knocked out in the semi-final by Australia. He was called up to the under-20 side again for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, stating that his "personal goal is to score three goals and get three assists, and as a team, I want to aim to win the championship". After his fifth cap, in a 2–0 friendly win against Ghana, Satō expressed his desire to beat Nobutoshi Kaneda's record as Japan's youngest goal-scorer.

Style of play Primarily a midfielder, capable of playing in both attacking and defensive roles, Satō was utilised as a right-winger and a wing-back during his time with Fagiano Okayama. He is known for his stamina, able to cover vast distances in games.

Career statistics Club