SOFIA, Feb 21 – Attacking midfielder Taisuke Akiyoshi has joined Slavia Sofia on a 2-1/2-year deal from Singapore Armed Forces to become the first Japanese player in the Bulgarian league, the Sofia-based club said today.

“Slavia were the first Bulgarian club to sign a Brazilian (Rogerio Pereira) and now we’re the first club, signing a Japanese player,” seven-times Bulgarian champions’ president Ventislav Stefanov told a news conference.

Slavia, founded in 1913, are the oldest Sofia club and Stefanov said the club will do their best to win the title to mark the 100th anniversary.

“I was really excited to join a Bulgarian club as I thought that the guys know Kotooshu (a famous Bulgarian wrestler competing in Japan),” Akiyoshi, 23, said. “But they said they’ve heard about him but they’ve never seen him.

“It’s a big surprise for me because he’s extremely popular in Japan and everyone knows him,” added Akiyoshi, who played in the Asian Champions League’s group stage with Singapore Armed Forces.

Akiyoshi’s agent Sasa Vukojevic said the player turned down offers from Japanese clubs Gamba Osaka and Cerezo Osaka to join Slavia as his priority was to play in Europe. – Reuters