By Kieran Maguire

22nd Oct, 2023 | 4:40pm

Kieran Maguire cites Kaoru Mitoma as Aston Villa strike 'lucrative' Japan deal

Aston Villa will want to emulate Brighton’s success with Kaoru Mitoma after striking a partnership with Japanese club Vissel Kobe.

That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who exclusively spoke to Football Insider about the benefits Villa will receive from their Japan deal.

The Birmingham-based side announced on Thursday that they have entered a ‘strategic partnership’ with Japanese side Vissel Kobe.

Villa stated that their new partnership will help both clubs ‘enhance youth development, alongside the cooperative sharing of ideas, techniques and best practice.’

As part of the deal, two of Vissel Kobe’s Under-16 players are set to train with the Villa academy, while Villa’s youth side will travel to Japan in 2024 to take part in an international tournament.

Maguire believes the deal will provide Villa with a boost to recruitment, while also growing their international fanbase in a similar way that Mitoma has helped Brighton.

“First of all, Japan is a very lucrative market in terms of the wealth of fans, it’s huge money,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.

“Therefore, preseason tours and having a tie-up with Japan will benefit Aston Villa.

“I suspect that Aston Villa will have seen the impact of Mitoma mania at Brighton.

“He has brought huge financial benefits there and also increased the profile of Brighton and the size of their international fan base, all of which can be monetized.

“Then there is the potential to recruit players from a market which is probably underrepresented in the Premier League.

“We know Japan have always done reasonably well in Fifa World Cups.

“So perhaps there’s an opportunity here to use this relationship as as a form of recruitment drive for players, not just from Japan but from the Asian market as a whole.“

In other news, Leon Bailey to be offered new Aston Villa deal on one condition