Bundesliga
Freiburg have secured the services of versatile playmaker Yuito Suzuki from Danish side Brøndby, but who exactly is the latest Japan international to ply their trade in the German top-flight? bundesliga.com gives you the lowdown...
Data correct as of 16 June 2025
Yuito Suzuki
Age: 23 (born 25 October 2001)
Club: Brøndby IF (Freiburg from 1 July 2025)
Position: Attacking midfielder / winger
Country: Japan (two caps)
Another product of Japan's prestigious high school football system, Suzuki kickstarted his professional career by joining J1 League side Shimizu S-Pulse after graduating in 2019, ahead of the 2020 season. At Shimizu, he went on to amass five goals and four assists across three seasons, making 83 league appearances in total.
His impressive performances for Shimizu earned the midfielder a loan move to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg in January 2023. However, in France, Suzuki would find game time hard to come by, being handed just three league appearances and one in the cup as Strasbourg battled for survival in the 2022/23 campaign.
After scoring one goal in 78 minutes of competitive football for Strasbourg, Suzuki returned to his parent club, which had been relegated to the J2 League in his absence. After just three appearances in Japan's second tier, the midfielder departed for Denmark in summer 2023, joining Brøndby on a permanent basis.
Suzuki's performances in Denmark are what led Freiburg to come calling in May 2025. In 70 outings across all competitions for Brøndby, Suzuki consistently dazzled Danish defences, registering 24 goals and 16 assists whilst operating as the primary playmaker.
That also led to his first call-up to Japan’s national team in June 2024, being substituted on in place of soon-to-be teammate Dōan to make his debut in a 5-0 thrashing of Myanmar.
Plays a bit like: Michael Olise
An agile, 5'9" left-footed winger who seemingly glides across the pitch and jinks past opponents with a drop of the shoulder - no we're not talking about Bayern Munich's France sensation but Suzuki. Able to dribble, play the killer pass or finish of moves inside the box, if Freiburg's new signing can showcase his gifts consistently in 2025/26 he could have a similarly impressive impact as Olise at Bayern.
Did you know?
The Bundesliga has long been a bastion of Japanese footballing talent and Suzuki is set to continue that trend. He will become the 49th Japanese player to feature in Germany's top-flight, as well as the eighth active player from Japan in the division (following Shūto Machino's relegation with Holstein Kiel)
What they're saying
“Yuito can both score goals and set up his teammates. His pace, flexibility and technique will improve our overall attacking play as a team. We’ve been interested in Yuito for a really long time and are now pleased to have completed the transfer." - Freiburg's chief sporting officer Jochen Saier
"Freiburg have a fantastic reputation and are a club rich in tradition. During my conversations with the club, I was given a clear plan for my future, one that totally matches my aspirations. This clarity played a big role in my decision to come here. This team has had some impressive results in recent years, including this season, and I will give my best to help contribute to more success. I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Bundesliga and I’m proud to be a Freiburg player." - Suzuki on joining Freiburg