Atsuki Ito reportedly excluded from KAA Gent squad plans

Atsuki Ito, a midfielder for the Belgian club KAA Gent, has reportedly been excluded from the team's tactical plans by manager Rik De Mil. According to Belgian media outlets HBVL and VoetbalPrimeur.be, Gent is looking to strengthen its squad, particularly in defense, which has resulted in several players being identified for departure.

Ito is one of four players the club is currently seeking new teams for. Despite having recorded 7 goals and 4 assists in 79 official matches since joining from Urawa Red Diamonds in the summer of 2024, Ito has been left out of the squad for the first two league matches of the current season and was also omitted from the UEFA Conference League registration list.

While Ito has two years remaining on his contract, reports suggest that if he is unable to secure sufficient playing time in Europe, a return to the J.League remains a possibility.