Melbourne City has bolstered its attack with experienced Japanese forward Chinatsu Kira ahead of the 2020/21 W-League season.
Arriving at City still in her prime years, the 29-year-old had spent her entire professional career with Japanese side Urawa Reds before making her Australian switch. Named the Japanese top-flight’s (Nadeshiko League’s) Young Player of the Year in 2011, Kira went on to make over 140 appearances for the club whilst reaching a half-century of goals.
Kira also has 12 international caps to her name, scoring five goals, and was part of the Japan squad that won the 2014 Asian Cup, in which she scored twice.
After falling out of favour with her Japanese club ahead of the 2020 Nadeshiko League season that Urawa would go on to win, Kira looks set to add quality and experience to an otherwise youthful-looking City squad with little top-flight experience. This also appears to be the perspective of City’s Director of Football Michael Petrillo, who said of the signing:
“Kira is a technically gifted attacking midfielder with a penchant for goals and will add creativity and a goal-scoring threat to our midfield and front third.
“I think she will be a player who will add real class to the W-League competition.”
City are *scheduled* to get their title defence underway in a huge Grand Final rematch against Sydney FC at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday, December 30.
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