Team

HSV sign Masaya Okugawa on loan

HSV have brought in the versatile Japanese midfielder on loan from FC Augsburg for the second half of the 2023/24 season and raised the quality of the squad once again.

Hamburger SV have strengthened for the second half of the 2023/24 season with the signing of Masaya Okugawa. The attacking midfielder joins from Bundesliga side FC Augsburg and will be on loan in Hamburg until 30th June 2024. “In Masaya Okugawa, we have increased the quality of our attack and improved our squad depth,” said director of professional football Claus Costa, and explained: “Masaya knows the league and will help us to increase our threat in front of goal even more with his creativity and brave style of play, especially on the wings. Equally, he is very willing to work hard out of possession, meaning that he will fit the team and our style of play really well.”

Masaya Okugawa at his HSV contract signing with chairman Jonas Boldt (r.) and director of professional football Claus Costa (l.). — Masaya Okugawa with chairman Jonas Boldt (r.) and director of professional football Claus Costa (l.).

Kiel, Bielefeld, Augsburg, Hamburg

The 27-year-old had already joined top Austrian side RB Salzburg at the age of 19 and while there gained experience in Germany with loans at Holstein Kiel and Arminia Bielefeld before Arminia then signed the Japanese midfielder permanently in 2021. Okugawa played with Arminia in the Bundesliga, playing 33 games in the topflight in 2021/22 and recording an impressive eight goals, prompting FC Augsburg to sign him in summer 2023 after a further strong season in Bielefeld (30 games, five goals and ten assists in the 2. Liga). The attacking midfielder, who can play centrally or on the wing, missed several months at FCA following a collarbone fracture and has only made two short substitute appearances in the first half of this season.

Masaya Okugawa already knows head coach Tim Walter from his time at Holstein Kiel and is looking forward to his time playing for the Rothosen. — Masaya Okugawa already knows head coach Tim Walter and some teammates from his time at Holstein Kiel and is looking forward to his time playing for the Rothosen.

"I know HSV well"

Okugawa is really excited to get started in Hamburg, his second club in North Germany having previous playing for Kiel: “I am really looking forward to the challenge at HSV, I know the team well from my time in Germany. I also already worked with Tim Walter in Kiel and have also already played with Jonas Meffert, Laszlo Benes and Gui Ramos. I would like to help HSV as soon as possible, bring my strengths to the table and achieve the ambitious goals we have with the team and the whole club.”

Masaya Okugawa

Date of birth: 14th April 1996
Place of birth: Koka, Japan
Position: Attacking midfield
Bundesliga games: 48 (9 goals, 2 assists)
2. Liga games: 49 (10 goals, 11 assists)
Austrian Bundesliga games: 57 (14 goals, 11 assists)
Austrian 2. Liga games: 64 (8 goals, 10 assists)
International games: 5 (Japan U18)
Number at HSV: 17