Sho Fukuda Scout Report

 

Date of birth: 23rd March 2001

Country: Japan

Position: Centre Forward

Height: 173cm

Preferred foot: Right

Club: Shonan Bellmare

Shonan have been the surprise package so far in the 2025 J league season, winning all 3 games and sitting top of the league. The football has been direct and one of the main reasons their attacking style of play has worked is due to the phenomenal play of Sho Fukuda.

A complete forward build, Fukuda posseses all the traits that tick the boxes of the modern managers of Europe. Quickness, finishing, pressing and the ability to come short to pick the ball up are all on show each time he is on the park. However his biggest strength for me at least is his off the ball movement. Often finding himself wide open in the box is not a coincidence, it is a result of his constant movement, making him a complete nightmare for opposing defenders who are not sure whether to man mark him or guard their box. This makes him both a danger for goals but also assists, due to him drifting out of the box during the attack, looking to pick the ball up and send it out wide before charging into the box.

Although early in the season, his stats are already at a massive improvement from last season. Averaging an impressive 1.7 shots on target per game from 3.7 shots per game. He has also recovered 2 balls per game due to his pressing and has seen his role move him to a more of a "false 9" position, requiring him to drop deep to quickstart the counter. 

There are some improvements needed of course with the main one for me being his finishing. Although he does see himself get in great positions his conversion rate isn't exactly the best at 18%. This isn't terrible and it is actually 2% higher than the player I think he can replace (Kyogo Furuhashi). But with a little bit of work on this aspect to his game I think he can turn into a lethal goalscorer, especially if he continues his false 9 role as he will have less shots than a traditional striker.

So what next? Well I think he is a player to keep an eye on from now until the transfer window opens for European clubs, with Fukuda hopefully adding to his goal tally. One more full season under Bellmare wouldn't hurt his development either with Fukuda yet to make 100 games for his professional career. But with Japan looking set to qualify for the 2026 World cup a move to Europe might be on his mind with him hoping to break into the squad.

Ideal Club:

Should a move to Europe arrive the obvious choices looking through recent years is a move to Holland, Belgium or a lower league German side. But for me with Fukuda's play style I really think he is a perfect for for Celtic. A similar player to Kyogo, who departed in the January window, Fukuda is an ideal replacement. A younger player that can fit into the centre forward play style wanted by Brendan Rodgers that can be bought for roughly 1.5 million, as well as pairing up with fellow countrymen Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate, I can see Fukuda really fitting in well with Celtic.