Japan's World Cup revelation Junichi Inamoto is to end his nightmare spell with English champions Arsenal and return to his former club Gamba Osaka after just one season in the English Premiership.
The Japanese club said today that midfielder Inamoto, whose two goals helped Japan reach the second round of the World Cup finals for the first time in their history, will be in Osaka on July 1.
"We will have talks about his future and they will include the possibility of his return to Gamba Osaka," the club said in a statement.
Gamba added that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is in Japan working as a commentator at the World Cup, had met with the player and agreed that Inamoto could leave the English giants.
The 22-year-old player only featured in four matches for Arsenal last season - two in the Champions League and two in the English League Cup.
His two goals against Belgium and Russia helped Japan reach the second round of the finals and his performances have attracted interest from other European clubs including PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands as well as Italian sides Perugia, Atalanta and Juventus. -AFP