Kōki Saitō (footballer)

For the Japanese show-jumping competitor, see Koki Saito (equestrian). For the Japanese baseball player, see Koki Saito (baseball).

Kōki Saitō
Personal information
Full name Kōki Saitō[1]
Date of birth (2001-08-10) 10 August 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Tokyo, Japan
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Queens Park Rangers
(on loan from Lommel)
Number 14
Youth career
2008–2013 Inukura SC
2014–2018 Yokohama FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Yokohama FC 63 (9)
2021– Lommel 29 (5)
2022–2024 → Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 47 (10)
2024– → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 15 (0)
International career‡
2017 Japan U16 7 (7)
2017–2018 Japan U17 8 (9)
2018 Japan U18 4 (0)
2018 Japan U19 5 (3)
2019 Japan U20 6 (1)
2022– Japan U21 5 (1)
2022 Japan U23 6 (1)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
AFC U-19 Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2018
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:39, 3 January 2024 (UTC)

Kōki Saitō (斉藤 光毅, Saitō Kōki, born 10 August 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Queens Park Rangers on loan from Belgian club Lommel.

Club career

After impressive performances with the Japan U-17 team, Kōki Saitō debuted on 21 July 2018 in a league match against FC Gifu.[2] On his debut, Saitō even had the chance to share the field with Kazuyoshi Miura, who is 34 years his senior.[3]

In January 2021, he joined Belgian First Division B side Lommel.[4] In summer 2022 he was loaned to Eredivisie side Sparta.[5] The loan was extended for the 2023–24 season.[6]

On 13 August 2024, Saitō joined EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan deal.[7] He made his debut with the club on 17 August, coming on as 67th minute substitute. In the 88th minute of the same match, he assisted Lyndon Dykes to earn 10-man QPR a draw away to Sheffield United.

Career statistics

As of match played 23 May 2024[8][9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Yokohama FC 2018 J2 League 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 2 0
2019 J2 League 29 6 2[a] 0 0 0 0 0 — 31 6
2020 J1 League 32 3 0 0 2[b] 0 — — 34 3
Total 63 9 2 0 2 0 — — 67 9
Lommel SK 2020–21 Challenger Pro League 9 0 1 0 – — — 10 0
2021–22 Challenger Pro League 20 5 2 1 – — — 22 6
Total 29 5 3 1 – — — 32 6
Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 2022–23 Eredivisie 30 7 2 0 – — 0 0 32 7
2023–24 Eredivisie 20 3 0 0 – — 1[c] 0 21 3
Total 50 10 2 0 – – 1 0 53 10
Career total 142 24 7 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 152 25
  1. ^ Appearances in the Emperor's Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in the J.League Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in Eredivisie European Play-offs

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
  2. ^ "横浜FCユースFW斉藤光毅選手 U-18（FIFA U-20ワールドカップ2019）日本代表ポルトガル遠征 「第24回U18リスボン国際トーナメント」 選出のお知らせ | 横浜FCオフィシャルホームページ". yokohamafc.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018.
  3. ^ "51歳カズが16歳斉藤と２トップ 縦パスで見せ場 – Ｊ２ : 日刊スポーツ".
  4. ^ "Welkom Kōki Saitō!" (in Dutch). Lommel S.K. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  5. ^ "SPARTA HUURT JAPANS JEUGDINTERNATIONAL SAITŌ" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 25 June 2022.
  6. ^ "WITTE ROOK IN ROTTERDAM-WEST: SAITŌ NOG EEN SEIZOEN BIJ SPARTA" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 5 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Saitō & Dembélé join on loan". www.qpr.co.uk. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  8. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 193 out of 289).
  9. ^ Kōki Saitō at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Sparta and AZ dominate Eredivisie team of the month in march". Eredivisie. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.


Flag of JapanSoccer icon

This biographical article related to a Japanese association football forward, born in the 2000s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.