Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Japan, Germany, Football World Cup
Ryan Smart
Topics: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Japan, Germany, Football World Cup
Arsenal fans have taken to social media to remember comments made by former boss Arsene Wenger after Japan's 2-1 victory over Germany in the World Cup.
In a surprise result, Japan came from behind to defeat Hansi Flick's side, with goals from Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano.
Asano, who is 28, plays his club football for VfL Bochum in Germany, having also played in Serbia and Japan throughout his career.
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But Gunners fans may remember him for a short spell at the Emirates Stadium between 2016 and 2019, where he didn't play a single competitive game as a result of work permit issues.
Wenger called the player 'one for the future' when he signed him in 2016, although his time at Arsenal would go on to fail to work out.
Wenger said: "Takuma is a talented young striker and very much one for the future.
"He has had an impressive start to his career in Japan and we look forward to him developing over the next couple of years."
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It may have taken longer than Wenger might have anticipated, but Asano has now scored the goal that could change the course of Japan's World Cup.
And after the strike, fans have taken to social media to suggest that Wenger may have, belatedly, been right all along.
One fan wrote: "Arsene Wenger, he's done it again!"
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Another added: "Arsene Wenger was onto something...AGAIN. Takuma Asano."
And a third fan said: Arsenal blood Takuma Asano... Wenger was truly visionary..."
Other fans recognised that the French boss saw plenty of potential in the striker: "It may not have worked [out] at Arsenal for Takuma Asano, but we now see what Arsene Wenger has seen in him. What a win for Japan!"
There were also comments made about how good Asano could have been at Arsenal had he succeeded in receiving a work permit during his Gunners career.
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One fan said: "Sadly Asano never played for Arsenal because he was denied twice to get the work permit. Glad that he finds the stage at World Cup to prove himself."