Coventry City transfer news from CoventryLive as the Sky Blues secure their third summer signing

Coventry City have completed their third summer signing with the arrival of Japanese international Tatsuhiro Sakamoto who has been plying his trade in Belgium.

The Sky Blues have identified somewhat of a leftfield signing – certainly their first ever Japanese player – in the 26-year-old who is understood to be a versatile player who can play as a wing-back, winger or in midfield.

CoventryLive understands City have paid 1.5million Euros (£1.2m) for the player who was also wanted by AA Gent and RC Genk. The player completed his medical at Ryton on Friday and flew out with Mark Robins’ squad to Portugal on Saturday for the club’s pre-season training camp.

 

Sakamoto has signed a three-year contract, having moved from KV Oostende who were relegated from the Belgian top flight Jupiler League last season. The Tokyo-born player started out at Montedio Yamagata in the Japanese second tier, scoring seven goals in 44 games, before stepping up to the highest J1 division with Cerezo Osaka, for whom he scored eight goals in 66 league games between 2020-22.

He then moved to Europe with a loan spell at Oostende in January 2022 with an option for the Belgium club to buy. This option was triggered later in May, with Oostende signing him in a complete transfer lasting to 2025.

But, after finishing second from bottom of the division last term, Oostende have dropped to the second tier and Sakamoto has secured a move to England with the Sky Blues.