Yukiya Sugita (杉田 祐希也, Sugita Yukiya, born 22 April 1993), commonly known as a Sugi, is a Japanese footballer who plays as a winger for K League 2 club Gyeongnam FC.

Yukiya Sugita
Sugi playing for IK Sirius in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-04-22) 22 April 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Saitama, Japan
Height 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Gyeongnam FC
Number 23
Youth career
2009–2011 Kashiwa Reysol
2011–2012 Sendai University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Jove Español B 10 (1)
2013 Jove Español 11 (1)
2013–2016 Hércules 29 (2)
2016–2017 Pattaya United 9 (1)
2016PTT Rayong (loan) 13 (2)
2017–2018 Dalkurd FF 36 (5)
2018–2020 Tractor 37 (3)
2020IK Sirius (loan) 17 (5)
2020–2022 IK Sirius 69 (8)
2023 Foolad 1 (0)
2023 Arar 0 (0)
2024– Gyeongnam FC 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 March 2023

Club career

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Early career and stint in Spain

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Sugi was born in Saitama, and joined Kashiwa Reysol's youth setup in 2009, aged 16. In the 2011 summer the Spanish agent Javier Subirats decided to represent him, after a friendly match between Kashiwa and Elche's reserves.[citation needed]

However, after failing to join the Valencians, Sugi returned to Japan to play for Sendai University until October 2012, when Gaspar Campillo, coach and sporting director of Jove Español San Vicente, decided to sign him after positive reports written by Subirats.[1] He signed an 18-month deal with the Valencian side, but due to bureaucratic problems, was unable to play with the main squad in the Tercera División, and was assigned to the B-team in the regional levels.[2]

After Jove Español's assignment as a farm team of Hércules, Sugi was called up to the latter's first team by manager Quique Hernández. He played his first match as a professional on 11 September 2013, replacing Quique de Lucas in the 56th minute of a 2–0 home win against Real Murcia in the season's Copa del Rey,[3] becoming the first Asian to play for Hércules.[citation needed]

Sugi made his league debut on 17 November 2013, again from the bench in a 2–4 loss at Córdoba in the Segunda División,[4] and scored his first professional goal seven days later, netting the last of a 3–0 home success against Sabadell.[5] On 22 December 2013, he renewed his link with the Valencian side, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract with a 10 million release clause, being definitely promoted to the main squad.[6]

Thailand

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He left Hércules in 2015, moving to Thailand playing for Pattaya United and PTT Rayong.[citation needed]

Dalkurd FF

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On 21 February 2017, Sugita signed a two-year deal with Dalkurd FF in Superettan, Sweden's second tier.[7] Dalkurd won a promotion to Allsvenskan the same season.[8]

In 2018, Sugita established himself as a key player at Dalkurd, although the club struggled in the league and was placed at the foot of the table mid through the season.[9]

Tractor S.C.

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On 29 July 2018, Sugita signed a three-year contract with Tractor in the Iran Pro League.[10]

IK Sirius

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In March 2020 he joined the Swedish Allsvenskan team IK Sirius on a short-term loan.[11] On 22 July 2020, the loan was extended 31 August.[12] The loan extension was made after the Persian Gulf Pro League was delayed until late September.[13]

Arar

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On 26 August 2023, Sugita joined Saudi Second Division club Arar.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "10 indonesios, 4 mexicanos y un japonés llegan al Jove Español" [10 Indonesians, 4 Mexicans and one Japanese arrive in FC Jove Español] (in Spanish). Alicante Actualidad. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Entrevista a Yukiya Sugita "Sugi"" [Interview of Sugita Yukiya "Sugi"] (in Spanish). Zona Hércules. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. ^ "El Hércules supera con comodidad al Murcia" [Hércules overcomes Murcia comfortably] (in Spanish). Marca. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Un triplete de Uli Dávila devuelve al Córdoba a la senda del triunfo" [Dávila's hat-trick takes Córdoba back to winning ways] (in Spanish). Marca. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  5. ^ "La efectividad alicantina da caza a los arlequinados en la tabla" [Alicantines' effectiveness hunts the Arquelinats at the table] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Sugi, hasta 2017 con 10 millones de cláusula" [Sugi, until 2017 with a 10 million clause] (in Spanish). Diario Información. 22 December 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Dalkurd värvar yttermittfältaren Yukiya Sugita" [Dalkurd signs winger Yukiya Sugita] (in Swedish). Dalkurd FF. 21 February 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Yukiya Sugita lämnar Dalkurd" [Yukiya Sugita leaves Dalkurd] (in Swedish). Dalkurd FF. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Dalkurd är på väg att tappa nyckelspelare" [Dalkurd about to sell key player] (in Swedish). Expressen. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  10. ^ "سوگیتا؛ شاگرد خجالتی و پرتلاش اسبقی" [Sugita; Shy but hardworking player of Asbaghi]. www.varzesh3.com (in Persian). 29 July 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Yukiya Sugita ansluter till Sirius". Sirius Fotboll. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Yukiya Sugita förlänger sitt korttidskontrakt" (in Swedish). IK Sirius Fotboll. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Succéspelare förlänger – men jagas av rivaler". expressen.se. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  14. ^ "نادي عرعر يخطف الياباني يوكيا".
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