MUNICH, JULY 16: New Bayern Munich defender Hiroki Ito on Tuesday credited his "typical Japanese mentality" as he begins the "hard work" of helping the German giants get back on track after a disappointing season.
Ito, 25, was unveiled in the Bavarian capital on Tuesday. Last season, Bayern finished third in the league and missed out on a trophy for the first time in 12 seasons.
Bayern announced the centre-backs signing in June after reportedly triggering his 30-million-euro ($32 million) release clause.
While describing himself as "not the typical Japanese person", Ito said he will "try and do my bit with a lot of hard work. Thats typical Japanese mentality".
Ito made his debut for Japan in 2022 and has since played 19 games, scoring one goal.
Normally a centre-back, Ito can also play on the left side of defence, saying Tuesday: "I can play in several positions. We can complement each other well here".
Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said Ito "enjoyed amazing development in recent years," adding: "Im convinced he has not reached his limit." —AFP
