Hearts transfer latest on Kyosuke Tagawa as interest claims emerge over Japanese striker

Kyosuke Tagawa | SNS Group

Hearts striker Kyosuke Tagawa is attracting interest this transfer window, the Edinburgh Evening News understands.

The forward joined the Premiership club last summer from FC Tokyo, following a loan at Portuguese side Santa Clara. He has netted three times since the switch, with the form of other forwards like Lawrence Shankland and Kenneth Vargas limiting his chances, alongside injury.

There has also been time for him to get used to the tempo of Scottish football. Reports in the far-east have claimed that currently 10th-placed J League side Urawa Red Diamonds have listed him as a summer target, with Celtic talisman Kyogo also said to be wanted by the Red Devils.

It’s our understanding that there is interest from Japan in Tagawa this summer transfer window, who signed a three-year deal in 2023 after a six-figure fee sealed the deal, understood to be less than £500k. There was also interest from Portugal in the winter months.

As things stand, he will report back to head coach Steven Naismith for pre-season training in the week beginning June 24th, having shown flashes of his potential in the final weeks of last season. He’ll have Shankland, Vargas, Liam Boyce plus the likes of Alan Forrest and Yutaro Oda to compete with in attacking areas this coming term.

Naismith said recently of Tagawa: “He maybe needed one to just go in off his shin to set him off and then he could keep going. That hasn't happened but I think he has qualities so we will see how pre-season plays out.”