Japanese midfielder Tensho Yamamoto, who was loaned to Dortmund, played the entirety of the Under-23 team's Regionalliga Vest match and contributed to the team's 2-0 victory. On October 23, in a rainy match against Bonner SC, Yamamoto played for 90 minutes and was highly praised by the German media ``RUHR24'' as ``captivating with his technical virtuosity.'' The article states that Yamamoto is already considered "the new Kagawa" and points out that his position within the team is changing.
In the match, Yamamoto created chances with deft passing and dribbling, and disrupted the opponent's defense with accurate through passes and heel tricks. In particular, it was reported that he played the full 90 minutes in the last four games and captivated the audience with his technical play. Dortmund's U-23 team won a fierce battle in the rain to extend their unbeaten record to 14 games and now have 34 points.
Yamamoto came to Japan from Gamba Osaka this summer on a one-year loan transfer to Dortmund. According to his contract, he is expected to return to Gamba Osaka in the summer of 2027, but multiple media outlets are reporting that Dortmund holds a purchase option of 1.5 million euros (approximately 260 million yen). Yamamoto went through a period of switching between being a starter and the bench early in the season, but is now establishing himself as a solid member of the team.
It will be interesting to see how Yamamoto's performance will affect Dortmund's promotion to the top team. His technique and quality of play have earned him recognition both within and outside of Dortmund, and there is a possibility that he will further develop his career as a Japanese player in the future. Dortmund has indicated that they will monitor Yamamoto's growth this season and position him as an important member of the team.