Kaoru Mitoma's Brighton Return Is Expected After the International Break

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Brighton still waiting for Mitoma

Kaoru Mitoma's return to competitive football is moving closer, but Brighton do not expect the Japan winger back before the next international break.

Manager Fabian Hürzeler has explained that the club must remain patient while Mitoma completes his recovery from the hamstring injury that ended his previous season and required surgery.

October is the current window

Reports around Brighton point to the October 10 away match against Sunderland as the earliest likely opportunity for Mitoma to return, although that date has not been officially confirmed as his comeback game.

Mitoma is also not part of Brighton's league-phase registration for the UEFA Conference League, meaning his initial return is expected to come through domestic competition.

Why Brighton misses his profile

Hürzeler has acknowledged how important players with Mitoma's one-on-one wing profile are to Brighton's style. Until those options return, the team has had to adjust how it attacks.

For followers of Japanese players in Europe, Mitoma's eventual return will be one of the key Premier League stories to watch in October.

What To Know

Mitoma has become one of Japan's most recognizable players in the Premier League. His return would restore one of Brighton's most distinctive attacking options and bring a major Japanese player back into English top-flight action.

Premier League matches featuring Japanese internationals have a strong following in Japan, and Mitoma's dribbling style has made his Brighton performances especially visible to casual football viewers as well as dedicated fans.

What Fans Are Saying

Original Japanese

Easy Japanese

三笘薫選手は、けがからの復帰を目指しています。監督は、復帰は代表ウィークの後になると話しました。