Kanya Fujimoto is heading to England. After five seasons in Portugal, the midfielder has traded Gil Vicente for a fresh challenge. It’s a big move for the 26-year-old, marking his first club outside of Japan’s Tokyo Verdy, where he came through the youth ranks. He joins Birmingham City on a free transfer, making it a smart piece of business for the English side.
Birmingham City made the official announcement this Sunday. Fujimoto has put pen to paper on a three-year deal, keeping him at the club until June 2028. Fans can expect to see him in action in the Championship next season, as the club prepares for the upcoming campaign.
Fujimoto won’t be the only familiar face for fans of Japanese football at Birmingham. He is the seventh summer signing for the club, and he joins two of his compatriots. Tomoki Iwata arrived a year ago, settling into life in England. More recently, Kyogo Furuhashi also joined the club, making a €9 million move from Rennes during this transfer window. It seems Birmingham is building an exciting new core with a strong Japanese connection.
The midfielder brings a solid track record with him. In the 2024/25 season, Fujimoto scored five goals and provided six assists across 33 games, mostly as a starter. These numbers are right in line with his career-best season the year before. In that standout campaign, he tallied five goals and eight assists over 38 appearances. This kind of consistent output suggests he’ll be a key player as Birmingham looks to make an impact in the Championship.