Goto Keisuke’s Anderlecht Exit Looms: Will the Japanese Star Return to Iwata Amidst Promotion Uncertainty

Keisuke Goto, a U19 Japan national team forward who is on loan from Jubilo Iwata to Belgian first division RSC Anderlecht, has emerged as a star in the second team RSCA Futures. However, the possibility of promotion to the top team or a permanent transfer is unclear at this point.

Goto, now 19 years old, will play in 33 J2 League games in his first professional season in 2023, scoring 7 goals, and will join Anderlecht on a loan transfer with an option to buy in January 2024. In his first year overseas in the 2023/24 season, he played consistently in the Belgian second division as a member of RSCA Futures.

So far this season, he has scored three goals in five league matches, demonstrating his decisiveness. In the match against RFC Liège on September 14, he made a big splash by scoring a spectacular volley into the back of the net.

With expectations of further success in the future, Belgian media “Voetbal” featured Goto’s current situation on the 23rd. “The 19-year-old Japanese striker is in good form,” they said, pointing out his issues, saying, “He needs to become stronger in duels. He can be easily defeated.” “He has a nose for the goal and functional technique. Don’t expect him to dribble or act quickly,” they said, touching on Goto’s playing style, before expressing their opinion that “it’s too early for him to be promoted to the first team.”

The media also emphasized that the Japanese striker’s future is unclear, saying, “Anderlecht has its eye on Goto’s future, but they need to make a decision to exercise the purchase option. They added, “You can’t acquire a player worth around 2 million euros (approximately 300 million yen) and develop him as you envision. There is no budget to spend on training, and it is unclear whether Goto will be able to advance his career smoothly at Anderlecht.”

In April 2024, RSCA Futures manager Marinck Riedijk appeared on the Belgian podcast Café Constant and said, “Negotiations (for Goto’s permanent transfer) have not yet progressed,” but expressed satisfaction, saying, “He still has a lot to improve on, but in the short term, he is making good progress.” Depending on club circumstances, it is possible that Goto will return to Iwata or change clubs when his loan period expires in December 2024.