Ko Itakura

Ko Itakura (板倉 滉, Itakura Kō, born 27 January 1997) is a Japanese footballer who plays for FC Groningen on loan from Manchester City.[1][2]

Ko Itakura
板倉 滉

Personal information
Full name	Ko Itakura
Date of birth	27 January 1997
Place of birth	Yokohama, Japan
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team	FC Groningen (on loan from Manchester City)
Number	17
Youth career
2006–2014	Kawasaki Frontale Youth
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2018	Kawasaki Frontale	7	(0)
2015	→ J. League U-22 (loan)	2	(0)
2018	→ Vegalta Sendai (loan)	24	(3)
2019–	Manchester City	0	(0)
2019–	→ FC Groningen (loan)	41	(1)
National team^‡
2013	Japan U-16	2	(0)
2015	Japan U-18	2	(0)
2016	Japan U-19	2	(0)
2017	Japan U-20	4	(1)
2018	Japan U-21	4	(0)
2018–	Japan U-23	7	(2)
2019–	Japan	4	(0)
Honours Kawasaki Frontale Winner J1 League 2017 Runner-up J.League Cup 2017 Runner-up Emperor's Cup 2016 Vegalta Sendai Runner-up Emperor's Cup 2018 Representing  Japan Asian Games 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Team AFC U-19 Championship 2016 Bahrain
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:29, 27 January 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 November 2020

Club career

Born in Yokohama, Ko Itakura joined J1 League club Kawasaki Frontale in 2015. In January 2019 he joined Premier League club Manchester City and was immediately loaned to Eredivisie club Groningen, until the summer of 2020.[3] On 24 July 2020, his stay with Groningen was extended with one more year after Groningen and Manchester City agreed.[4]

National team career

In May 2017, Itakura was called up to the Japan U-20 national team for the 2017 U-20 World Cup. At this tournament, he played 2 matches as defensive midfielder.

He was selected for the senior Japan national football team for 2019 Copa América and made his debut on 20 June 2019 in the game against Uruguay, as a starter.[5]

Club statistics

As of 23 February 2018[6][7][8]

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J. League Cup		AFC		Total
2015	Kawasaki Frontale	J1 League	0	0	0	0	0	0	–		0	0
2016			2	0	3	0	1	0	–		6	0
2017			5	0	3	0	4	0	3	1	15	1
Total			7	0	6	0	5	0	3	1	21	1

National team statistics

[9]

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2019	3	0
Total	3	0

References

1. "鈴木 翔登：川崎フロンターレ：Ｊリーグ.jp". jleague.jp. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
2. https://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=400511/index.html
3. "Akkoord FC Groningen met Manchester City over Japanner Itakura" (in Dutch). FC Groningen. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
5. "Uruguay v Japan game report". CONMEBOL. 20 June 2019.
6. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 96 out of 289)
7. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 28 out of 289)
8. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 55 out of 289)
9. Ko Itakura at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

• Ko Itakura – FIFA competition record
• Ko Itakura at J.League (in Japanese)
• Ko Itakura at Soccerway
• Ko Itakura at WorldFootball.net
• Ko Itakura at National-Football-Teams.com
• Profile at Vegalta Sendai
• Profile at Kawasaki Frontale