Stuttgart sign Sakai on loan

Stuttgart have signed Albirex Niigata defender Gotoku Sakai on an 18-month loan, the Bundesliga club announced on Saturday.

The deal will send the 20-year-old to Germany until at least June 2013, when Stuttgart, who have paid the J.League club 500,000 euros in compensation, will have an option to sign the full-back permanently.

“Gotoku Sakai is a very promising prospect who’s equally strong on either foot,” Stuttgart sporting director Fredi Bobic said.

“I’ve rarely seen a player so advanced as a right – or left – back at his age. We’ll give him the time he needs to adapt to the Bundesliga and I’m confident he can become a valuable player for VfB (Stuttgart).”

Japanese national team regular and fellow Stuttgart forward Shinji Okazaki praised the deal.

“Gotoku and I know are already well acquainted. Despite having a German mother, he’s typically Japanese,” Okazaki said.

“(He) can play off either foot, he puts in a lot of legwork and he likes to get forward for the team at every opportunity as well.”

Sakai, speaking to local media at the J.League club, said the timing was right for him to make the move.

“It’s tough for me to leave Albirex Niigata, but I decided that there’s no better time than now for me to go overseas,” he said.