Legia Warszawa signed Japanese defender Shinnosuke Fukuda on loan from Kyoto Sanga FC, the Polish club announced on Friday, September 4, as they reinforced their squad following their elimination from the Polish Cup.
The 26-year-old joins on loan until the end of the 2026/27 season. He was the second player Legia confirmed that day, after also loaning in defender Bohdan Wjunnyk from Lechia Gdańsk with an option to buy.
Legia were knocked out of the Puchar Polski, the Polish Cup, in the first round, losing 0:3 away to Motor Lublin. The club did not play in European qualifying this season, so the Ekstraklasa, Poland's top football division, is now their only remaining competition. Under coach Marek Papszun, Legia have collected 12 points and sit second in the league table, behind only Lech Poznań.
Fukuda's role at Legia
Fukuda mainly plays as a right back, though Legia's sporting director, Fredi Bobić, said he could also feature on the right wing.
Bobić, quoted by the club's official media, said signing Fukuda from Kyoto was good news for Legia, describing him as a very interesting player who is quick, mobile and likes playing on the wing, particularly on the right side. Bobić said he expected Fukuda to have a strong positive influence on the team, adding that the player still needed to learn the language but already showed he could play football and had a lot of passion. Bobić also noted that Fukuda had played alongside Ryoya Morishita, a former Legia player, and said the club would give him time to adapt to the country, its culture and the conditions of the Ekstraklasa, while predicting he would settle in quickly.
Fukuda, quoted through the same club channels, said he was very happy to have joined Legia and hoped supporters would see his skills, his dynamism and everything he was capable of. He said he believed the fans' incredible support would spur him on and that he was counting on it heavily.
New number and playing record
Fukuda will wear number 2 for Legia, with the shortened name "Shin" printed on his shirt. He has played 89 matches in Japan's J-League, the country's top division, scoring 10 goals. In the current season he has started and played the full 90 minutes in four matches, scoring once and providing one assist.
What comes next
Fukuda is unlikely to make his debut for Legia this week. The club travel to face Motor Lublin away on Saturday, September 5, in round seven of the Ekstraklasa.
