Ex-Hatter Hashioka signs season-long loan deal at Borussia Mönchengladbach

Former Luton defender Daiki Hashioka has signed a season-long loan deal at Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The 26-year-old, who moved to Kenilworth Road from Belgian team St Truiden in January 2024, when the Hatters were in the Premier League, played 28 times for the Hatters, including 10 top flight appearances. Hashioka moved to Czech Liga side Slavia Prague for an undisclosed fee in June last year, playing 12 times for the club, including four Champions League outings before being loaned back to Belgium, signing for Gent in February, as he made 17 outings.

The Japan international, who has won 12 caps for his country, is now on the move once more, heading to the Borussia-Park side that finished 12th in the German top league last term, the deal containing an option to buy. Speaking to the club’s official website, Hashioka, who came on in Mönchengladbach’s 3-1 pre-season friendly win over Rostock on Thursday, said: “When my agent told me Borussia were interested, I was delighted. I knew straight away that I wanted to move here, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Bundesliga."

On bringing in a player who came through the ranks at Urawa Red Diamonds, where he won the Emperor's Cup in 2018, Gladbach sporting director Rouven Schröder said of the club’s third Japanese addition, Hashioka joining striker Shuto Machino and fellow summer signing Zento Uno, added: “Daiki is quick, strong in the air and an aggressive defender. He can operate primarily at right-back or as a right-sided centre-back. He also brings plenty of experience, and we're confident he'll quickly prove an asset to the team."