Beerschot have announced that a handful of players have had options exercised for another season in their contracts. Alongside Brian Plat, Nick Shinton and Dennis Gyamfi, Japanese midfielder Genki Haraguchi is also extending for another year. The 34-year-old, who has spent most of his career in Germany, joined the side for the season back in September. Since then, he has gone on to play 26 games in all competitions, scoring four goals.
It looked like Haraguchiโs time in European football was over when he left VFB Stuttgart in 2024 to return to the J League and join Urawa Red Diamonds. However, after just a season and bit he made his return to Belgium. Prior to that, Haraguchi had played for years in the German system. His longest spell was with Hertha Berlin, who he joined from Urawa Red Diamonds back in 2014. Haraguchi played 105 times for Hertha Berlin between 2014 and 2018, scoring six goals. In January of 2018 he joined Fortuna Dusseldorf for a brief loan spell, with his time at Hertha Berlin coming to an end at the end of the 2017/2018 season. Haraguchi was part of the team that won the 2. Bundesliga under Friedhelm Funkel, although he did not return for their following season in the top flight.
Haraguchi then joined Hannover 96, where he spent a handful of season, with 15 goals in 98 games. Prior to joining Stuttgart in 2023, he had joined Union Berlin on a free transfer in 2021. His current side Beerschot are hoping to win promotion back to the Belgian Pro League, having been relegated from the top flight last season.
GBeNeFNย |ย Ben Jackson
