Tatsuki Seko

Tatsuki Seko
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-12-22) 22 December 1997 (age 27)[1]
Place of birth Adachi, Tokyo, Japan[1]
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Stoke City
Number 12
Youth career
2008–2015 Mitsubishi Yowa
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Meiji University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Yokohama FC 66 (3)
2022–2024 Kawasaki Frontale 66 (1)
2024– Stoke City 14 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:35, 21 December 2024 (UTC)

Tatsuki Seko (瀬古 樹, Seko Tatsuki, born 22 December 1997) is a Japanese footballer who plays as defensive midfielder for EFL Championship club Stoke City.

Career

Early career

Seko was born in Adachi, Tokyo and began playing football with the youth teams at Mitsubishi Yowa and in 2015 he was selected to play for the Japan national under-18 team and participated in a training camp.[2] He entered Meiji University in 2016 and was a regular with the football team from his fourth year.[3] In 2019 he rejected an offer from J2 League side Montedio Yamagata and later agreed to turn professional with Yokohama FC in 2020.[4] In August of the same year Seko was approved as a J.League designated special player.[5]

Yokohama FC

Seko officially joined Yokohama FC on 13 January 2020.[6] He made his J1 League debut on the opening day against Vissel Kobe, scoring in a 1–1 draw, which was Yokohama's first top-flight goal for 13 years.[7] Seko played 36 times in the 2020 J1 League season as relegation was scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Yokohama finished in 15th place.[1][8] In the 2021 season Seko played 38 times as Yokohama were relegated finishing in 20th.[1][9]

Kawasaki Frontale

Following Yokohama's relegation Seko was reported to be wanted by J1 League clubs Nagoya Grampus and Sanfrecce Hiroshima.[10] Eventually league champions Kawasaki Frontale signed Seko on 23 December 2021.[11] He made 19 appearances in the 2022 season as Kawasaki missed out on the league title by two points to Yokohama F. Marinos.[12] In the 2023 season, Seko played 39 times as Frontale finished in 8th position and won the 2023 Emperor's Cup after beating Kashiwa Reysol in the final on penalties.[13] Seko was captain as Kawasaki Frontale defeated Vissel Kobe 1–0 in the 2024 Japanese Super Cup.[14] It was announced by Frontale in August 2024 that Seko had left the team in order to complete a move abroad.[15]

Stoke City

Seko signed a three-year contract with EFL Championship club Stoke City on 30 August 2024.[16][17]

Career statistics

As of match played 29 December 2024.[1]
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Contentinal Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Meiji University 2019 — 2 0 — — — 2 0
Yokohama FC 2020 J1 League 33 2 0 0 3 0 — 0 0 36 2
2021 J1 League 33 1 0 0 5 0 — 0 0 38 1
Total 66 3 0 0 8 0 — 0 0 74 3
Kawasaki Frontale 2022 J1 League 13 0 2 1 1 0 2[c] 0 1[d] 0 19 1
2023 J1 League 28 1 6 2 5 2 0 0 0 0 39 5
2024 J1 League 25 0 2 0 0 0 7[c] 1 1[d] 0 35 1
Total 66 1 10 3 6 2 9 1 2 0 93 7
Stoke City 2024–25 EFL Championship 14 0 0 0 1 0 — — 15 0
Career total 146 4 12 3 15 2 9 1 2 0 182 10
  1. ^ Includes Emperor's Cup and FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup and J. League Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearances in AFC Champions League
  4. ^ a b Appearances in Japanese Super Cup

Honours

Club

Kawasaki Frontale

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Tatsuki Seko at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  2. ^ "U-18日本代表候補トレーニングキャンプ（3/24～28）メンバー・スケジュール" [U-18 Japan National Team Candidates Training Camp (March 24-28) Members and Schedule]. Japan FA (in Japanese). 10 March 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  3. ^ "[MOM611]明治大MF瀬古樹(4年)_ぶっつけ本番のトップ下起用でゴール!" [[MOM611] Meiji University MF Seko Itsuki (4th year) _ Scored a goal after being deployed as a second striker on the spot!]. gekisaka.jp (in Japanese). 27 November 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Ｊ１昇格横浜ＦＣに明大・瀬古加入「開幕先発狙う」" [Yokohama FC, promoted to J1 League, has joined Meiji University's Seko, "aiming to be in the starting lineup for the opening game"]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 27 November 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  5. ^ "瀬古樹 選手(明治大学 )JFA ・ J リーグ特別指定選手承認のお知らせ" [Announcement of approval of Seko Tatsuki (Meiji University) as a JFA/J.League special designated player]. Yokohama FC (in Japanese). 2 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-08-08. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  6. ^ "2020シーズントップチーム体制および 選手背番号のお知らせ" [2020 season top team structure and player numbers announced]. Yokohama FC (in Japanese). 13 January 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  7. ^ "公式戦８連勝中の神戸から横浜FCが先制！クラブ13年ぶりのJ１での得点は大卒ルーキー" [Yokohama FC takes the lead against Kobe, who are on an eight-match winning streak in official matches! The club's first goal in J1 in 13 years is scored by a university graduate rookie]. Yokohama FC (in Japanese). 23 February 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  8. ^ "J. League to skip relegation as schedule threatened by coronavirus" (Press release). The Japan Times. 2020-03-19. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Trinita, Vegalta and Yokohama FC all relegated, one drop spot still to be decided". J League. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Ｊ２降格横浜ＦＣ主力流出危機 瀬古樹、松尾佑介にＪ複数クラブ興味" [Yokohama FC in danger of losing key players after relegation to J2; multiple J-League clubs interested in Seko Itsuki and Matsuo Yusuke]. Nikkan Sports. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  11. ^ "瀬古樹選手加入のお知らせ" [Announcement of the addition of Seko Itsuki]. Kawasaki Frontale. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Yokohama F·Marinos win the 2022 Meiji Yasuda J1 League!". J League. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Frontale outlast Reysol in epic penalty kick shootout to win Emperor's Cup". J League. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Kawasaki capture Fujifilm Super Cup 2024". J League. 17 February 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  15. ^ "瀬古樹選手 チーム離脱のお知らせ" [Announcement of Itsuki Seko's departure from the team]. Kawasaki Frontale. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  16. ^ "Seko signs for City". Stoke City. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Stoke get Cannon on loan and sign Seko". BBC Sport. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  18. ^ "【天皇杯・決勝速報】PK戦まで続く激闘の末、川崎フロンターレに軍配。柏レイソルは猛攻実らず惜敗". Football Channel. 9 December 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  19. ^ "神戸vs川崎Fの試合結果・データ (Fujifilm Super Cup: 2024年2月17日)". J.League. Retrieved February 17, 2024.