Manchester City have confirmed the arrival of a second new goalkeeper this summer: six-time Japanese top-flight winner Ayaka Yamashita has signed a three-year contract.
The 28-year-old comes to the Cityzens from WE League team INAC Kobe Leonessa and is the club’s third Japanese signing in this transfer period alongside Risa Shimizu and Aoba Fujino.
Yamashita arrives in England after a brilliant spell in her home country, making 74 senior appearances and winning 17 major titles.
Asked about her goals at City, she said: “I have won several trophies in Asia, but in order to develop further, I felt the need to take on a challenge. It is a famous club that everyone knows and even now it seems incredible to me.”
Yamashita will wear the number 31 shirt and is the first player to wear the number since City’s relaunch in professional football in 2014.
“Last season was really close (for City), that’s what I thought when I saw the games from Japan,” she added. “I want to help the team win titles and contribute to the team.”
City chief executive Charlotte O’Neill added: “It has been a pleasure to watch (Yamashita) on the world stage in her second Olympic Games over the past few weeks. As we continue to develop, a player with attributes like (hers) will help us challenge for titles in the years to come.”
Yamashita’s arrival comes just four days after City announced they had signed young English goalkeeper Eve Annets from Reading following the club’s withdrawal from the Championship.
The club now has a selection of four high-performing goalkeepers for the 2024/25 season, where they are hungry for success after losing out to Chelsea on goal difference last season.
Yamashita and Annets will sit alongside Khiara Keating, the recent Women’s Super League Golden Glove winner, and Scottish international Sandy MacIver.
