Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma is one of the most exciting players in the Premier League right now, and one former team-mate said his skillset to succeed in England's top tier was obvious before he had even made an appearance for the Seagulls.
Signed from Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale in August 2021, Brighton & Hove Albion immediately loaned Mitoma out to Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise.
While Mitoma performed well in the 2021/22 campaign, it was future Brighton team-mate Denis Undav who truly stood out for Union, scoring 25 goals in total as they challenged for the Belgian Pro League title. Brighton signed Undav that summer for £6m, with Mitoma returning to the south coast side following the conclusion of his loan spell.
Former Portsmouth defender Christian Burgess also formed part of the Union team that season, and explains that while Brighton fans were more excited about Undav, he trusted the ability of Mitoma would tear apart Premier League defences. He was right.
"Mitoma's pace is so frightening, then his calmness, Burgess tells FourFourTwo. "I remember talking to a pal, a Brighton fan who was excited about buying Deniz Undav from us, and saying, 'Just wait until you see Kaoru Mitoma.'
"I said he should take a look at him for his fantasy team! I knew he could be successful in the Premier League. I’m so chuffed for him, he’s a terrific lad."
Burgess moved to Union SG in 2020, when they were still in the second tier. Turning down a contract extension at Portsmouth proved difficult for the centre-back, but he believes he certainly made the right career decision.
"I’m valued a lot more over here. I don’t know whether that’s because I’m a foreigner or because of my performances. I was never settled under the manager at Portsmouth.
"I’ve taken on more responsibility here and the way we play is very different. We play out from the back and it’s a lot more tactical. I’ve enjoyed playing in the centre of a back three here, and it’s allowed me to flourish.
"It feels more and more like home as time goes on. Brussels is a friendly city. There’s a lot of interest in Union’s rise, and Brussels is a hub of European politics, so you do meet people from all over the world. I’m slowly picking up on French, starting to communicate better. I definitely see a future here."
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