Bundesliga
Itakura bids Gladbach farewell
Ko Itakura's three-year spell with Borussia Mönchengladbach has come to an end after the Japan international sealed a move to the Eredivisie with Dutch giants Ajax.
Itakura made 80 competitive appearances for Gladbach in all competitions after joining the Rhineland club on a permanent deal in summer 2022 from England's Manchester City.
The 28-year-old defender was in the starting line-up for 76 of those 80 outings, playing the full 90 minutes an impressive 65 times and helping his side keep 15 clean sheets.
"I’d like to thank everyone at the club for their amazing support over the past three years," Itakura said. "It meant a lot to me to be able to play in front of these fans at this stadium, and I will definitely be back here as a fan.”
Watch: The best of Ko Itakura at Gladbach
Before becoming one of Gladbach's most trusted defenders, Itakura's first taste of the German game came in the 2021/22 whilst on loan at Schalke.
That season saw the Royal Blues gain promotion back to the top flight after winning the Bundesliga 2 title. Even back then, Itakura's reliability was on full display, as he featured in 31 out of 34 league fixtures.
“Ko is a great footballer and a great person who made a huge impact during his time here at Borussia,” said Gladbach managing director for sport Roland Virkus. “He’s a quality player who always gave everything. That’s why we’ve respected his wish to show his qualities in the Champions League from now on.”
It has been a busy transfer window for head coach Gerardo Seoane's side, with Shuto Machino, Kevin Diks and Jens Castrop being brought in to bolster the ranks before the 2025/26 campaign gets under way, while Alassane Pléa has left the club.
Gladbach begin their season at Atlas Delmenhorst in the first round of the DFB Cup on 17 August. Their Bundesliga campaign kicks off at home to newly promoted Hamburg the following Sunday.