Japan defender Itakura returns to Borussia Monchengladbach from Ajax.

Berlin, Aug 20 (IANS) Borussia Monchengladbach has re-signed Japan international Ko Itakura from Ajax Amsterdam, bringing the centre-back back to the Bundesliga club just one year after his departure, Gladbach announced on Thursday.

The 29-year-old has signed a contract running until 2030 and returns after spending the 2025-26 campaign in the Netherlands. Itakura is expected to help fill the defensive gap left by Nico Elvedi, who ended 11 years at Gladbach to join Leeds United.

Sporting director Rouven Schroder said the club had already considered bringing Itakura back during the winter and welcomed the opportunity to complete the move.

“We are very happy that we have been able to sign a player whose quality and experience exactly match the profile we were looking for after Nico Elvedi’s departure,” Schroder said, as quoted by Xinhua.

He added that Itakura’s familiarity with the club should allow him to settle quickly, while stressing that the defender had been eager to return.

“I am very happy to be back at Borussia,” Itakura said. “I missed the club a lot and, when the offer came, I immediately decided to return. For me, it feels like home again.”

Itakura originally joined Gladbach from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 and established himself as a regular during three seasons with the club.

He made 80 competitive appearances and scored seven goals before leaving for Ajax in 2025. During his season in Amsterdam, the defender made 19 appearances and scored once.

Before his first move to Gladbach, Itakura spent about two and a half years on loan at Dutch side Groningen after joining Manchester City from Japan in January 2019. He later played the 2021-22 season on loan at Schalke 04, scoring four goals in 31 second-tier appearances. At international level, Itakura has won 42 senior caps for Japan and scored twice for the national side.

–IANS

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