Aoba Fujino has become Manchester City’s third signing of the summer after she signed from Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
The 20-year-old Japanese forward will join up with her new City team mates at the inaugural Perth International Football Cup later this month after the Paris Olympics where she has already scored a free kick against Spain.
She also became her country’s youngest ever goalscorer in a World Cup in 2023.
She will be joining fellow Japanese internationals Yui Hasegawa and Risa Shimizu at the club – Shimizu was stretchered off in the 2-1 Olympics defeat at the hands of Spain last month.
In Japanese domestic football Fujino made 51 appearances, scoring 24 goals and providing 17 assists while becoming a two-time winner of the WE League Valuable Player Award during her three seasons with Tokyo Verdy Beleza in which she won the Empress Cup.
Fujino will wear the number 20 shirt and provide competition up front for Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema, who signed earlier in the summer for City.
And she admitted that the chance to test herself in the Barclays Women’s Super League was a very attractive prospect.
She said: “In the league, this is a top-level club both physically and technically.
“That is something that I find very appealing, the size of the team and the organisation.
“It’s very important to play in this kind of environment.
“This is a very big club with a lot of history, so I’m really excited to come here.”
Manchester City Women Managing Director, Charlotte O’Neill, said: “Aoba is an impressive striker whose signing shows our ambition and intent to challenge for silverware if you play for City.
“She will be a fantastic addition to our squad.”
Head Coach Gareth Taylor continued: “Aoba brings even more excitement and technical quality to the team.
“She is still young but has already established herself on the international stage and we are delighted to bring her to our club.”