Ryo Miyaichi will fly into London next month and put pen to paper on a five year contract with Arsenal. The deal brings to a close a whirlwind few months for the 18-year-old, in which a dream move to England appeared on, then off.
Miyaichi came to prominence playing in the Japanese school system, as he combined studies with regular run outs for the Chuyko High School team. He was handed a scholarship with the University but was soon on the move, as Asian scouts passed on details of the winger and a switch to Europe was on the cards.
In 2009 German outfit FC Köln invited Ryo to train with their youth team for two weeks. The youngster impressed but despite his six foot frame, concerns were there that physically he was far behind the rest of their Academy, so returned to Japan. A speedy left winger, who is comfortable with both feet and full of tricks and skills, Miyaichi was called up to the Japan Under 17 team in the summer following try outs.
The then 17-year-old featured mainly a substitute as his side went out in the group stages. Agents and scouts continued to keep track of his progress and in August, Ajax asked Ryo to join them on trial and play a fixture for their youth team. Arsenal were also recommended the prospect and jumped the queue, bringing the unknown midfielder in for training with the Reserves.
Neil Banfield was suitably impressed and handed him a start against Boreham Wood in pre-season. Arsène Wenger, Ivan Gazidis, Steve Rowley and Pat Rice were all present as the prospect left a firm statement on the Gunners before going off on the hour mark. A further run out against AFC Wimbledon saw a tired Miyaichi struggle but he continued to leave an impression in training.
Arsenal remained interested but he headed to Ajax and began training there. The management were also keen on Ryo and started him against lowly SVV Scheveningen. However, minutes into the match he was victim of a horror tackle and left the field with a broken fibula. Both clubs ended their interest and Ryo returned to Japan.
Chuyko High School had their doctors look over the prospect and it was quickly decided the injury wasn’t as bad as first feared, with it being weeks rather than months out. Arsenal and Ajax were faxed documents and then both clubs made offers. Ryo agreed on the former, although admitted it was a tough decision.
On transfer deadline day, Arsenal thrashed out a pre-contract arrangement, as reported first on Young Guns. Miyaichi’s scholarship with the Chuyko High School expires at the end of December. However, he will perform for them at the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament before heading to London for the second half of the season.
Arsenal are believed to have already won a work permit for Ryo, although neither party has confirmed this. Miyaichi is expected to go straight into Neil Banfield’s Reserve team as they continue their hunt for the Premier Reserve League trophy.
Evra isn’t far wrong is he really
iditos again
If a 16 yr old Fabregas or an 18 yrd old Ronaldo was available do you idiots think Fergie wont buy him, of course he would
and if united played without Vidic, Nani and Rooney like we played without RVP, Fabregas and Vermaelen do you really think they would have beaten us?
this team is in the semis of CC, last 16 of CL, 2nd in the PL and in the FA cup
without having their entire spine, if it was the same case with Cheslea or United we all know where that team would be
But I prefer to arsenal on the pitch do the talking and lets judge arsenal at the end of the year
season*
Andrew – Ok, judge Arsenal at the end of the season….isn’t that what Wenger said last season? And judge Arsenal on the pitch – what’s the stat again for Arsenal v Chelsea/Man U over the last 3 years?
Evra is making the point that Arsenal are a very good team not a great team. The whole academy thing is a metaphor, mate, for being young and not having won trophies in a while. When our first team squad averages 26 or 27 and they don’t win trophies I’ll accept that the club needs to focus on getting better grown men to play. In the meantime we continue with this frustrating project of paying for a stadium, while still playing near the top top level. If Arsenal are an academy, what does that make every team in England and the continent who are not as good as us? The metaphor is not to be taken literally. It has nothing to do with the actual work of the Arsenal Academy.
We have fair enough reasons for not winning anything for the past 5 years, but what I resent is that the team has not learned from the games against the big boys, at all.
Not learning a lesson when people are rubbing your face in it 10 times a year, every year for five years, is unforgivable.
Arsenal continue to play in a cavalier fashion against the big teams, in a way that makes their football entirely readable, and they continue to leave themselves open to counterattacks an aerial assaults. Poor.
What is hilarious about the Evra comments is that while Arsenal grows up, this is seemingly the last year United can cling to any pretention of experience. Giggs, Scholes, Neville and VDS are retiring, Berbatov and Vidic could be off, Rio can’t string three games together… leaving Fletcher, Evra and Rooney and no money to spend on anyone except the next Bebe.
Chelsea also look to be singing from Wenger’s hymn sheet but with another couple years left in their superstars. But if you look at their bench, it will seem very familiar to those who have shit on Arsenal from a great height the past couple years. I can’t help but ask “Who?” when I see such names.
And yet Arsenal seem to be… five years ahead of them both. When Macheda or Kakuta hit 22, the likes of Nasri and Walcott will be in their prime, having learnt from the master and getting valuable early playing experience.
Oh and they can still win the title. And Champions League (ha! it is still technically possible if not in any way realistic). And FA Cup title. And League Cup. Whereas Evra can… go without winning anything, watching his team die before his eyes.
Monty truly is a sad prick
so he isnt just here to make money in the asian market? Will he be an new Inamoto?
Yet another dense fuckwit. If all AFC wanted was to make money in japan or Asia, then why havent they signed more before? Why wait soooooo long? Perhaps because this player is a real prosepct?
Its good we got him, as long as his work rate is up to standard we could have a decent player.
Where is he in the picture? Is he like realy skinny?
Also nothing wrong with buying a decent player from Asia, to extend the brand. Look at Man Utd, they bought Park for that reason and he turned out to be a decent player.
Andrew, thank God for sense! I was begining to think I was the only one left who remembered that we have played the last 16 games against top four teams without once having a full team. Look what has happened to Chelski when being without Lampard,Terry and Alex…fell apart ! At least, AW has kept us up there until we get out team back…lets just hope he has the guts to sell a few and buy a couple so we march onwards and upwards.
JS.How is it that Arsenal seemingly get a work permit for Miyaichi, but not for Wellington???
Andrew, I so agree.
– Look at Chelsea’s form when they’ve had a couple of key players out…
– Arsenal is as of now the team with the most wins…
Arsenal have done remarkably well with major players out through injuries. TV5 was extremely influential last season and has practically not played for us this season. RvP – our #1 striker has been out 90% of the games so far. TW14 had an excellent run before he was injured. Cesc, our Captain, has been out of crucial games.
We have an excellent squad; texhnical abilities, numbers and age. Look at Chelsea and ManU; both have ageing squads without proper young replacement – ManU are slightly better off than Chelsea.
We have a very solid financial footing, all the other top teams are struggling. ManC is reliant on the whim of a Sheik or 2 and it will be interesting to see how they’ll fare when financial Fair Play starts to rise its ugly head.
The Home Grown criteria in place for both EPL and CL are right up Arsenal’s long term prospect. We have already 3 English full internationals Walcott, Gibbs, Wilshere) with Afobe, Aneke, JET, Frimpong, Eastmond, Bartley, Lansbury, etc also coming through. Not to mention non-English players (e.g. Ramsey), who will be considered Home Grown under both CL and EPL current rules.
The future of Arsenal looks so good.
Yes, as usual, injuries are telling the story of our season. And, yes, as usuual, we are being labeled this and that by Premier Leagure piss-ants like Evra.
Wenger’s massive experiment is a victim of itself really. Wend you rely so completely on youth you are setting yourself up for the onslought of injuries we see year-in/year-out at the club. Young players pulling this many minutes in such a physical league will rack up more injuries than older players.
Bendtner, Cesc, Diaby, Walcott, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Djourou, Nasri, Ramsey, and Frimpong have all experienced lengthy injury lay-offs and some of them have experience a couple of them.
Then you add two veteran players who appear to be made of glass in Van Persie and Rosicky and you see how our destiny is so linked to players’ health.
I’m still a firm supporter of AW’s youth movement because as someone wisely mentioned above all of them, including the 24 year olds are still developing. When they’re 26-27 and still mysteriously not closing out matches and losing matches they should win at home and getting beaten by United and Chelsea thought they play better football, they I will concede Wenger chose the wrong players and his policy failed.
But despite what is, at times, a cartoonishly desperate desire for trophies, this team is still young, injury-prone, and developing.
They will probably nick the CC this year and nothing else. And frankly, the CC is about as meaningful as a comment by the John dude on this website. It means nothing, and if all the trophy-mongers have their hunger sated by that pathetic cup, I pity them.
This team is on course to dominate in years to come. Premier League titles, Champions League titles, and FA Cups. That’s what I see as the team’s destiny. The itty bitty CC we’ll claim this year is just a minor footnote on the road to that destiny. It will mean a lot for the trophy-salivating idiots out there, but for others who see all the ups and downs as movement toward a much bigger destiny, it won’t register much at all.
come back after you’ve managed anything successful in your lifetime, KC. Arsene Wenger is a visionary, you’re just an armchair fan.
Lol.
Back to topic. Welcome Ryo. Hope you will fulfill your potential, if not you can still consider yourself lucky. Playing for the Arsenal is a great honour.
we get a permit for this schoolboy but not for wellington silva!!!
Monty is a troll. He’s always trying to post first, just to stir up some sh*t.
This is an article about Ryo. The boy was very unlucky, but like Szczesny he will come back strong. Hope we can give him a warm welcome soon.
does he remind anyone of barazite?
Looking forward to see him in action.
Oh …. it’s all to do with injuries …. Again. Well it isn’t. It’s down to goalkeeper mistakes, the defence going to sleep at dying moments of games, lazy players like Arshavin who admits he’s lazy, and the pathetic need to walk the ball in the net instead of shooting from distance. It’s excruciating watching Arsenal look like a pinball table 10 yards from goal. Other times there have been very poor team selection …. we haven’t lost ANY games because of injuries. Van Persie does not score every game and he’s the worse for prancing around outside the box until the perfect wonder goal opportunity. I’d rather see 20 shots on goals and 20 misses, rather than 5 shots on goal and 5 misses (obviously). Who is missing Fabregas with Wilshere on the pitch? Jack is better than Cesc …. At least Arshavin has got that right. The guy is phenomenal.
If you STILL blame injuries for the short comings then you aren’t paying attention.
WOW, terrible comment
“jack better then cesc?” grow up. Cesc has won a world cup, jack barely starts for england.
he is class, but its people like you that blow these kids heads up before they can find their feet in the game and they end up being complete busts. So calm down and think b4 you type you jackass
If we win our home games against Man u and Chelsea, then we have lost no ground to them in the title race. I remember few years ago, we beat Man u home and away, but they still one the premiership. So please wait till the end of the season and see what happens. There is no point in putting the team down in the middle of the season. This is the team we have got until the end of the season and lets support them till then.
How comes hes got a work permit and wellington dosnt?
did he get a work permit already? or did we buy him for lucky salamanca?
Just what we need another unproven under 20 player for our 1st team. WE REALLY ARE GOING TO WIN IT ALL NEXT YEAR!!!!
Tou mised out the words “armchair” “fairweather” and “plastic” in your name twat.
Exciting signing. I like this guy but as much as I hope not, I think he’s not gonna make the grade at Arsenal.
But fingers crossed for Ryo! Work hard mate!
same story in 2 weeks time, work permit denied and off to senoritas….
welcome to salamanca!!!
hypnotised by the mad professor
I hope that we have bought him for the right reasons and not just to sell shirts in Japan over the next couple of years.
You’re saying that we will dominate in the future which is exactly what was said 3 years ago. What happened, we sold our players. I remember in 2006 talking about how Arsenal would dominate in 2010 if they kept the team together… what happened… it was dismantled. We won’t win anything significant any time soon as long as we have this idiot who doesn’t think a defence is needed. So vermaelen’s out. Well we should at least have another decent CB instead of anorexia and clumsy big white man. Djourou isn’t allowed to play which I find startling as he has been more solid than the other two twats.
spotted the idiot. it’s you!
Perhaps Wellington is not quite the exceptional talent you all seem to think he is by watching youtube?
All i know is that i’ve seen him play a few times and he looks like he could be seriously good. but the people from fifa don’t wont young players from brazil playing abroad as often as early as they are at the moment. that would be my guess as to why he didnt get special talent permit
Js where do u see Henri Lansbury playin? Wenger has said he will be an arsenal player I reckon we should start off by playin him on the left wing then bringing him central.
Classy comment there “The Daddy”. He’s Japanese not Korean by the way, idiot.
Jay can you delete comments like this one?
We got so much crowd there in central, we can’t bring everyone from wings to central, but you’re right, that what he is, a centre mid, i just don’t understand how in earth can Wenger use them all, and there’s Aneke too coming through, how about Diaby, Denilson, Ramsey and first of all, Fabregas, then Nasri, Rosicky, how many he need really?
If the Denilson rumours are true i would sell him personally.
I like him as a player and person but the premiership is fast, physical you need battlers in there.
I reckon denilson would be a brilliant player in la liga or serie and then ppl will notice what a plyer he is
Lansburys has got that killer pass, his passing range is superb and hes like Darron gibson in terms of shooting.
Hes got great accuracy from far range.
We dont have enough of those midfielders who are willing to take shots form 30 yards plus.
Plus hes a gooner and hes English we need his spirit in games
“The Daddy” I know you are from Africa becasue you have said so yourself. How would you like it if I called you a nigger?? You probably wouldn’t like it at all, just as I wouldn’t like it if you called my a “yid” or “kike” because I am jewish. J this isn’t the first time “The Daddy” has posted racially innappropriate comments on here. I sugest you delete his comments or prevent him from commenting on this site. He called Ozyakup “the turkleton” because he is of Turkish Descent…he’s a right bastard…
Agreed. J can idiotic poster be blocked from this pernamently please?
To “Milo”‘s comment Dec 21st 15:06
Milo, you’ve gone and committed the very offense you claim to be complaining about. Which is boneheaded.
This is a basic football website, there s no place for use of racial insults or nonsense. Not from him and not from you under claim of “example”.
There are people of all races here who dont need to see such language used under any circumstance, not even supposedly as illustration. Not to mention many kids and young people who follow the Young Guns, that should not be presented with that sort of nonsense.
You need to go and edit your post to remove that foul language immediately – and I wonder why on earth the moderators have not done it for you!!!!
Oh for God’s sake, grow up and stop being a pathetic little tart, it’s a football forum, a place where men talk about football, this is not a forum for the limp wristed variety of fan.
So now you’re being homophobic as well as racist. What a big tough man you are. Why the moderators have allowed your comments is a disgrace. And btw I’m half japanese and I do take offence of your comments
Nice to see this kid join. I keep watching footage of him and drooling at the prospect of having someone that quick and good with both feet. The obvious is worried about the physical side of the game but for what I imagine is very little money for the man, I am sure it will be a decent buy. Does anyone know if this tournament he is playing in will be screen on any channels??? be good to see a preview.
Daddy – Your obviously a d*ck!! sorry I don’t like to sink to another persons level but he is what is most known as…….. A BELLSWEDE!!
Anyway back to the topic. He certainly has a very raw talent which Wenger is the master at moulding into perfection..this list is big.
Fingers crossed and all the best me laddo.
Work nearly done. Festive period nearly among us. Hope everyone has a great holiday and Happy New Year. Everyone apart from Daddy! Hope Santa sharts down your chimney :-)
I for one am glad we keep signing all these young players we should look to develop players rather than just buy success. I for one; although it may not be popular, much prefer us to be a team with principles of playing and developing young players while maybe not winning anything than buying big name players every year and winning more or sacrificing our style of football to win. I welcome every young signing more than a first team one I find the potential more exciting. Which are some of the reasons I was so disappointed to see wenger play a more established team in the carling cup.
As for the racist comments I find it quite sad how people have to sink to these depths to belittle people and make jokes I’m glad that it hasn’t been overlooked by many people and find it frankly pathetic and disgusting.
Why are morons still comparing us to Chelsea and Manchester United? It gets old and annoying. You need to get your perception of Arsenal fixed.
As a club, we are behind the Barcelona’s, Man Utds, Real madrids, Inter milans, and the clubs with huge financial backing like Man city and Chelsea. We only recently moved into a proper sized stadium, which these other big clubs have had massive stadiums and income for years. Also those other big clubs have had massive European success which we have never even won 1 champions league trophy. We are trying to build towards these things and do it with out getting a sugar daddy like Man City and Chelsea or run off massive debt like Barcelona and Real Madrid. How can you possibly fault Wenger for competing with these teams while doing it with a much smaller club (even though people forget that we are) and on a much smaller budget?
The fact is, with out Wenger, Arsenal could have never moved forward and built a 60 thousand seat stadium while still finishing top 4 every year and making deep runs in tournaments. With out Wenger, we would be no different then teams, like Tottenham, Everton, Villa, sunderland, etc. We would be out muscled financially and still be sitting there with only a 39,000 seat stadium.
I hope these anti Wenger muppets come to some common sense some day.
Mario Balotelli is a monumental prick. The stupid arrogant low-life scum had some taunting words for Wilshere after he beat him out for some young player of the year award.
He’s talented but over-rated for the most part. He’s a loud mouth cunt! I hope Jack shows him up next time we meet City and kicks the shit out of’em as a bonus.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/856326?cc=5901
The thing is he is not over rated at all. He is won this award while not even playing close to his full potential because of his attitude. He has to have some kind of mental disability because the stuff he says and does can not come from a fully functional brain.
Your a useless racist. Who cares what you think
Can someone delete this comment and ban this racist idiot.
Shane, you could be right!! He could have a disability. There are so many people out there that have a confrontational personality and some of that could stem from a disability. I forget what it is called, but a few students in my school had it. You could be friends with them but it was very difficult because they wouldn’t learn from there mistakes and would keep doing the same distructive actions that got them in trouble in the first place. they would keep coming back for more and more. They were funtional and you would have to get to know them to figure out that anything was actually wrong, but once you did rhere was no mistaking it. I forget what the disability was called though…
Smugchops
I never said he isnt good enough but why not going for Honda, too? He is even more well known in japan and could give us millions for shirt sales.
Wow, this site is great! I enjoy reading the features. I also enjoy reading some of my fellow Arsenal fans rant and rant about absolute rubbish, that has nothing to do with the Arsenal or the news features. Being an Arsenal fan is pretty simple, yes sometimes things don’t go our way, but that’s football. I am proud of supporting such a great team with fantastic history, that is a bona fide business (not a money burner like the teams around us in the table). Get behind the team and support the manager, especially at the home games. Sing for the club, show them our support.
Japan again!Inamoto came and fail,now ryo miyaichi or how is he call.I just pray he can play to espectation so that he add some flow in our game.Hope this guy will make arsenal look more of barca than arsenal as we pass the ball more than any team in England if not the world.but we lake the bite to turn things to our ways for winning.
If he has the selfless attitude and work ethic of Park from Man united , that running machine of a football player and his true grit and desire and hit the wieghts a little bit , Ryo will do well here . He runs with the ball well and can take some physical pressure as well. Lets see him in the reserves , get used to the bad weather here and how well he can take criticism and direction from coaches and be positive about it. If Jack Wilshere can make it and they are about the same size , So can Ryo , no matter what nationallity or passport he has , he has been given the priveldge to wear an arsenal shirt. Before Ryo there were many and after him there will be more. It is up to Ryo to make his mark.