How Arsenal lost Japan’s World Cup hero Takuma Asano for measly £1m after ZERO appearances in three years

JAPAN caused a major World Cup shock on Wednesday – and their hero Takuma Asano will be familiar to avid Arsenal supporters.

Asano completed a sensational turnaround by smashing home an 83rd minute winner to secure a 2-1 win over Germany.

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Takuma Asano signed for Arsenal in 2016 but never made a first-team appearance[/caption]

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Asano scored the winner to help Japan cause a World Cup shock against Germany[/caption]

Asano, currently playing his football in Germany, signed for Arsenal from J-League club Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2016.

But the striker would end up playing ZERO first-team minutes for them.

Following his arrival, Arsene Wenger described him as a “talented young striker” and “one for the future”.

However, he failed to get a work permit and wasn’t allowed to play in the Premier League.

As a result, he was loaned out to Stuttgart for the first two years before his third season as an Arsenal player was spent at Hannover.

And with Asano’s work permit issues showing no signs of changing, he was incredibly sold by Unai Emery for JUST £1m in the summer of 2019.

The Japanese international would sign for Partizan Belgrade.

He spent two years in Serbia before returning to Germany with Bochum, which is where he’s currently playing his football.

He’s scored just three times in 33 Bundesliga games as his goal record continues to underwhelm.

But he’ll have to go some way if he wants to top his memorable strike against the Germans regardless.