TOKYO - Japan forward Koki Ogawa is set to transfer to J.League leaders Machida Zelvia from NEC Nijmegen in the Dutch top division, a source with knowledge of the matter said Monday.
The 29-year-old made his World Cup debut for Japan at this summer's tournament in North America, where the Samurai Blue were knocked out in the round of 32 by Brazil.
The parties have reportedly agreed to a deal, with Ogawa expected to join Machida this week on a multi-year contract estimated at around 400 million yen ($2.5 million) per year, making him one of the highest paid Japanese players in the domestic league.
The Kanagawa Prefecture native is rated highly for his hold-up play and finishing, utilizing his 186-centimeter frame.
Ogawa played for Japanese clubs Jubilo Iwata, Mito HollyHock and Yokohama FC before joining NEC in the summer of 2023.
He made three appearances off the bench at the World Cup jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, most notably during Japan's opening Group F clash against the Netherlands, in which his header set up a late equalizer for a 2-2 draw.
He has scored 11 goals in 18 games for the national team.
Machida, currently in their third season since promotion to the J.League first division, have been aggressively strengthening their squad and sit at the top of the standings after winning their first three matches of the season.
