Kazuyoshi Miura, set to turn 59 next month and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has finalized a loan deal until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura might feature in the Japanese professional league - the top three divisions of Japanese football - for the initial occasion in half a decade.
The former Japan striker, who began his professional journey with the Brazilian club Santos in 1986, did not find the net in just over an hour across seven outings last season while on loan at JFL side Atletico Suzuka.
"My love for the game hasn't changed, no matter how old I get," he said as he gears up for a forty-first campaign as a pro footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity. I promise I will play with all my heart to help the team. Let's make history together!"
Known as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth temporary move since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC.
Miura, who has also featured in Italy, Croatia and Australia, joined the club in 2005 but has remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020.
He netted 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that ended in 2000, two years after his notable omission from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.
Miura, who has talked of playing until he is 60, said he was ready to "take on a new challenge" after being demoted last season to Japan's regional leagues.
Fukushima United finished 10th in the twenty-club third division last season.
