Ko Itakura is one of the most versatile Asian defenders who is currently playing for the Eredivisie club Ajax, and the Japan national football team. The academy graduate of Kawasaki Frontale has been striding toward greatness over the past few years, having featured for various major clubs across continents, including Premier League side Manchester City and Schalke. An exquisite controller of the ball and a leader on the pitch with a commanding presence, Ko Itakura is a versatile figure in defence who can operate both as a centre-back and a defensive midfielder, a talent every manager would want in their teams.
After spending three years at Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, Itakura has signed a four-year deal with an option of one-year extension with Ajax in the 2025 summer transfer window. With this move, he became the first Japanese footballer to play for the Dutch outfit.
Ajax will reportedly pay a fee of €10.5 million and an add-on of €1.5 million to secure the signature of the 28-year-old Japanese international. Ko Itakura career began in his childhood club, Kawasaki Frontale, before he entered the competitive arena of European football later. With him stepping into a new phase of his career, let's take a look at Ko Itakura club, net worth, salary, family and achievements.