Oriol Romeu joins Avispa Fukuoka after Southampton exit | OneFootball

Oriol Romeu has joined Avispa Fukuoka in Japan’s J1 League after leaving Southampton on 30 June.

According to Superdeporte, the 34-year-old midfielder will bolster the midfield and will make the move as Valencia’s signing Ryunosuke Sato will make the reverse journey to European football.

Romeu, who spent 2013-14 on loan at Valencia from Chelsea, has also represented Barcelona, Southampton and Girona. After more than a decade in Europe’s leading leagues, he now takes on a new challenge in Asia.

Avispa Fukuoka are based in Fukuoka, the largest city on Kyushu in southern Japan. Not among the traditional giants, they have established themselves as a competitive top-flight side built on stability and tactical discipline.

Recent seasons have been defined by defensive resilience, a style that suits Romeu. He is known for shielding the defence, winning the ball and giving balance from the pivot, attributes highly valued in Japanese football.

At Mestalla he featured in 19 matches across LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Europa League before a serious knee injury curtailed his season. He later enjoyed the best years of his career at Southampton. Despite interest from Spanish clubs aiming for promotion and from other Asian leagues, he has opted for Japan.

Source: Superdeporte