Gladbach secure Japanese centre‑back Ko Itakura to replace Elvedi

Japanese defender Ko Itakura has joined Borussia Mönchengladbach from Ajax on a four‑year contract that runs until 2030, after making 80 appearances for the Dutch side across all competitions between 2022 and 2025. The move reunites him with a club he knows well and comes as Gladbach look to replace defender Nico Elvedi.

Itakura featured 80 times for Ajax, known as the Foals, across all competitions from 2022 to 2025. His performances in the Eredivisie and European fixtures demonstrated the defensive qualities Gladbach seek. The Japanese international’s experience in a top‑flight league adds depth to the German side’s back line.

Gladbach’s defensive rebuild after Elvedi’s exit

Head of sport Rouven Schröder revealed the club had already been weighing a winter return for Itakura. “We were already considering bringing Ko Itakura back to Borussia over the winter,” he said. The timing aligns with the club’s need to reinforce the centre‑back position.

Schröder added that the signing directly addresses the gap left by Nico Elvedi’s departure. “We are delighted to have signed a player that brings exactly the experience and quality that we were looking for following Nico Elvedi’s departure,” he explained. The defender’s arrival is seen as a strategic replacement.

He also highlighted Itakura’s prior connection with the club. “The fact that we found all that in someone who is already familiar with the club and will need hardly any time to settle in, in addition to being really keen on coming back, just rounds everything off,” Schröder said. This familiarity is expected to ease his integration into the squad.