The Top 5 Current Highest Player Market Values in the J-1 League

Show Me the Money!!

The J-League pre-season competition got off to an explosive start- this past weekend at the National Stadium, in Tokyo. A select few teams from the J1 and J2 competition competed in the Fujifilm cup. It was a great day of football as all the teams wanted to showcase that they had made the right player acquisitions- during the offseason. Teams in both competitions were prepared to spend big money on player transfers. The winter transfer window wasn't as intense as the summer transfers, but key acquisitions were made.

In this article, we are going to take a closer look at the top five players with the highest market values, within the J1-League competition. All the market value information has been obtained from the Footballtransfers.com website, so for your reference and further reading, you can check out their website at : https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/values/players/most-valuable-players/playing-in-jp-j1-league

1. Bryan Linssen, $3.8 Million USD

Coming in at number 1; is Dutch footballer Bryan Linssen. The veteran striker joined Urawa Reds last summer in July, 2020. He was a stalwart at his previous club- Feyenoord, in the Netherlands. He had a few decent touches in the remainder of last season's games and showed how elite he is. He has a lot to prove in 2023 as I am sure he'll want to show his bosses that they made the right choice by signing him for this amount of money.

2. Pieros Sotiriou, $3.3 Million USD

The man who is of Greek and Cypriot decent was brought in by Hiroshima Sanfrecce to change things, and to make them serious competition contenders for the 2023 season. The international striker signed to play in Japan last summer, in August. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough time for him to completely change things around for his team. He has been working hard this past off-season- to solidify himself in the starting eleven, and to make sure that he hits the ground running- when the season kicks off next week!

3. Yasuto Wakizaka, $2.67 Million USD

The Japanese native attacking mid-fielder enjoyed a fairytale season in 2022. He has earned his major payday for sure! Yasuto is a product of the Kawasaki Frontale football system and structure. He signed his first ever professional contract with the club, four years ago, from university. He had to work his way up to the first team, and took advantage of every opportunity that was given to him. When top Brazilian striker- Damiao got injured last season, Yasuto stepped up and filled that role pretty well. 2023, will be a pivotal year for the young player.

4. Koki Anzai, $2.5 Million USD

Anzai is a well travelled Japanese footballer who has enjoyed a powerful stint in Europe. He signed to play for the Kashima Antlers back in 2021, coming from Portuguese club- Portimonense. The dynamic right-back doesn't play like your average or typical defender. He has great attacking instincts and supports his teammates well upfront- as well. Kashima Antlers were very unlucky not to win the season in 2022. They were looking great for the most part of the season. It was a tough battle between them, Kawasaki Frontale and Yokohama F. Marinos. I am certain that they will be fighting again for the number one spot!

5. Thuler, $2.4 Million USD

Matheus Thuler is the latest addition to the Vissel Kobe Football Club system. The Hyogo Prefecture based club- struggled last season, and came very close to facing relegation towards the end of the season. The team spent the better half of the season at second last position- on the J1- League log. The Brazilian right-back will have a lot of responsibility on his shoulders -to transforming the team's defensive unit and coordinate at the back. With his experience, he'll be up to the task! He has been hard at work with training and seems to be adjusting very well to Japan life. Kobe is a beautiful coastal city that provides an amazing quality of life for its inhabitants.

By: Zila Mbekela

Sports Agent & Freelance Writer