Ryunosuke Sato cleared for Valencia CF La Liga debut

Ryunosuke Sato, the 19-year-old Japanese midfielder who recently joined Valencia CF from FC Tokyo, has been cleared to play in the La Liga season opener against Celta Vigo. Although administrative delays regarding his registration had previously cast doubt on his availability, Spanish outlet Marca reported that Valencia has resolved the paperwork issues and received approval from La Liga.

Sato, who transferred for a fee of 4 million euros, has impressed during the preseason with two goals. Local media suggests he is a strong candidate for a starting position in Valencia’s 3-4-3 system.

Prior to his move to Spain, CIES data ranked Sato as the 7th best attacking player under the age of 20 playing outside of Europe’s top five leagues. He is considered a highly promising talent for the Japanese national team.