Junichi Inamoto

Updated on Dec 23, 2023

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Full name Junichi Inamoto Name Junichi Inamoto Spouse Miho Tanaka (m. 2012) 1992–1997 Gamba Osaka Weight 77 kg		1985–1992 Seiei Gakuen SC Height 1.81 m Playing position Midfielder Role Footballer

Date of birth (1979-09-18) 18 September 1979 (age 36) Place of birth Yusui, Kagoshima, Japan Current team Kawasaki Frontale (#20 / Midfielder) Similar People Miho Tanaka, Shinji Ono, Kengo Nakamura, Naohiro Takahara, Yasuhito Endo

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Junichi Inamoto (稲本潤一, Inamoto Jun'ichi, born 18 September 1979) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for Consadole Sapporo.

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Playing career

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Inamoto played for Japanese club Gamba Osaka during his last year of high school, signing with the club in 1997. He was then one of many high-profile transfers of Asian players to Europe, signing with Arsenal of the Premier League. Inamoto scored two goals for the Japanese national team at the 2002 World Cup, but had already been released by Arsenal shortly before the tournament began. He was then signed by Fulham on a long-term loan deal from Gamba Osaka. Initially he settled well at the London club, garnering good notices as a tough-tackling midfielder with an eye for a spectacular goal. He became a cult favourite quickly, scoring four goals over the two legs of Fulham's Intertoto Cup final against Bologna, scoring once in the first leg and a hat trick in the second. Other notable goals he scored in his time for Fulham include goals against Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and also in the 3–1 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 2003. He also scored in the FA Cup against Everton which commentator Barry Davies described as "a Japanese peach". Inamoto was also described as "bigger than Beckham" by the Japanese media. However, he sustained a fractured tibia in an international friendly against England, and returned to Gamba Osaka to do promotional work. Fulham were interested in signing him once more, but concerns remained over his recovery from injury.

Inamoto signed with West Bromwich Albion for a decidedly small £200,000 transfer fee, which was only to be paid once he had made an appearance for the Midlands club. However, Gary Megson departed as West Bromwich Albion manager shortly afterwards, and successor Bryan Robson was unsure of the player. Inamoto was loaned to Cardiff City for the latter part of the 2004–05 season, and impressed, being recalled to play a role in West Brom's survival campaign in the Premiership. In 2005–06 he was a regular in the West Brom side, and was called up to the Japan squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the first Albion player to play in the tournament for 20 years. Whilst at West Brom Inamoto scored once, an extra time winner in a League Cup tie against former club Fulham on 25 October 2005.

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On 31 August 2006, he signed for Galatasaray. On 29 May 2007, it was revealed that he signed a two-year contract with German club Eintracht Frankfurt, joining on a free transfer. Inamoto was presented in a press conference joining fellow Japanese striker Naohiro Takahara in Frankfurt and was released on 30 May 2009. On 19 June 2009, French Ligue 1 side Rennes announced that Inamoto had signed a contract with them. He signed for the club Kawasaki Frontale on 11 January 2010 a move back to his homeland. Inamoto, then subsequently featured for side Consadole Sapporo also of the J1 League.