Iwata makes Yokoyama point clear as Blues face transfer decision

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info

Tomoki Iwata was thankful for being able to lean on compatriot Ayumu Yokoyama when he landed at Birmingham City last summer, a familiar presence which helped the Blues midfield star to settle into his surroundings and hit the ground running in League One.

Iwata, who signed late in the transfer window from Celtic, struck up a fruitful partnership with Paik Seung-ho in the middle of the park under boss Chris Davies last season, with the pair highly influential as Blues hit 111 points by the end of the season.

Having fellow Japanese footballer Yokoyama in the dressing room proved beneficial to Iwata, who ended the season having scored eight goals in 47 games across all competitions, including a stunning strike against Premier League opponents Newcastle United in the third round of the FA Cup.

By the time Yokoyama - who Blues have to make another decision on this summer as to where he plays his football in the new campaign - was loaned to Belgian outfit Jong Genk in the January transfer window, having scored four goals in 19 appearances for Blues in the first half of the season, Iwata was fully bedded in.

"In the first half of this season, we had Ayumu Yokoyama, currently at Jong Genk, who transferred from Sagan Tosu," Iwata told Soccer Digest Web. "He is agile, and the opponents bite more than in Japan, so he dribbled one after another to avoid them. Maybe fast players can play an active role without being cut down.

"The manager also said that he was 'absolutely necessary if we get to the Championship', but he chose to transfer. I think he will play an active role in Genk's top team this season. I was also very helped by having him at the same club. I am grateful."

Iwata also spoke highly of fellow midfielder Paik, who he was familiar with having played against him previously and who he combined brilliantly on a weekly basis in Blues colours as they romped to the league title.

"Our basic formation was 4-2-3-1, and my defensive midfielder partner was South Korean national team player Paik Seung-ho," he added. "I had played against Maekita Hyundai in the ACL when I was with Marinos, so they remembered me and we got on well.

"Maybe because we had a similar view of football, we were able to look out for each other and build a relationship where we could understand each other. We were a team that held the ball and passed it around carefully, with us as the axis, so it was meaningful that we were able to win the championship by sticking to that kind of football."

Where will Blues finish next season? Have your say HERE

Everyday, the BirminghamLive football desk strive to deliver all manner of news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Birmingham City content.

Our dedicated reporters Alex Dicken and Brian Dick - you can follow Alex on X here and Brian here - follow Blues around the country and they offer you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between.

So much happens day to day and sometimes you can struggle to keep on top of the very latest updates as and when they occur - that's why we have produced a daily newsletter which you can sign up to, for free, and which means you'll have a round-up of the key stories land in your email inbox. Sign up to the Blues newsletter here.

You can also get all your favourite content from BirminghamLive's Blues team on WhatsApp. Click here to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories and insight from in and around the club.

If you prefer reading our Blues stories on your phone, consider downloading the BirminghamLive app, in which you can personalise the content you see by selecting Blues as one of your designated topics. You can get it from Apple here and for Android here.

Our weekly Birmingham City podcast, Keep Right On, is also available to watch and listen on all major streaming services. You can subscribe to the YouTube channel here, while you can access the podcast on Spotify here and via Apple here.