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Takehiro Tomiyasu wants to prove himself at Bologna

Uruguay v Japan: Group C - Copa America Brazil 2019

The Japanese defender has recently joined Bologna for €7 million. He started playing in Europe just over a year ago. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old impressed at Sint-Truiden last season, appearing 27 times as a starter and scored a goal.

He also has 15 senior caps for Japan national team and played all of Japan's matches in the Copa America. The defender revealed that he aims to become a regular for his new club on opening day. He believed that going up against top Serie A strikers will help him develop into a better player.

“I want to prove I belong in the starting XI on opening day,” Tomiyasu said.

“I aim to improve my defensive skills. Going up against top-class strikers will help my development. I want to be a player who can marshal the team from the back. Even if I hit a wall, I don’t want to quit.”