Maya Yoshida has committed his future to Premier League club Southampton FC for another three years, the club has announced.
The defender has been with the ‘Saints’ since joining from Dutch club VVV-Venlo in August 2012, and has made 60 appearances, scoring three goals.
The 26-year-old will be in action for Japan at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup later this month, where the ‘Samurai Blues’ have been pitted against Palestine, Iraq and Jordan in Group D.
And with the AFC championship set to run until the last day of the month, Yoshida could potentially not be available for the south London team until Saturday, February 7, when Ronald Koeman’s men faces a trip to Queens Park Rangers.
Koeman said: “I’m very pleased. He (Yoshida) is a good example.”
Yoshida played in all of Japan’s group stage games at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He has scored three times in 47 international appearances.
