Kōki Saitō (footballer)

Kōki Saitō
Personal information
Full name	Kōki Saitō
Date of birth	10 August 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Tokyo, Japan
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Queens Park Rangers ; (on loan from Lommel)
Number	14
Youth career
2008–2013	Inukura SC
2014–2018	Yokohama FC
Senior career*
Years	Team
2018–2020	Yokohama FC
2021–	Lommel
2022–2024	→ Sparta Rotterdam (loan)
2024–	→ Queens Park Rangers (loan)
International career‡
2017	Japan U16
2017–2018	Japan U17
2018	Japan U18
2018	Japan U19
2019	Japan U20
2022–	Japan U21
2022	Japan U23
Medal record
Representing Japan
AFC U-19 Championship
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 November 2024 (UTC); ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:39, 3 January 2024 (UTC)

Kōki Saitō (斉藤光毅, Saitō Kōki, born 10 August 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Queens Park Rangers on loan from Belgian club Lommel.

Club career

After impressive performances with the Japan U-17 team, Kōki Saitō debuted on 21 July 2018 in a league match against FC Gifu.^[2] On his debut, Saitō even had the chance to share the field with Kazuyoshi Miura, who is 34 years his senior.^[3]

In January 2021, he joined Belgian First Division B side Lommel.^[4] In summer 2022 he was loaned to Eredivisie side Sparta.^[5] The loan was extended for the 2023–24 season.^[6]

On 13 August 2024, Saitō joined EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan deal.^[7] He made his debut with the club on 17 August, coming on as 67th minute substitute. In the 88th minute of the same match, he assisted Lyndon Dykes to earn 10-man QPR a draw away to Sheffield United.

Career statistics

As of match played 23 May 2024^[8]^[9]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Yokohama FC	2018	J2 League	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		2	0
	2019	J2 League	29	6	2^[a]	0	0	0	0	0	—		31	6
	2020	J1 League	32	3	0	0	2^[b]	0	—		—		34	3
	Total		63	9	2	0	2	0	—		—		67	9
Lommel SK	2020–21	Challenger Pro League	9	0	1	0	–		—		—		10	0
	2021–22	Challenger Pro League	20	5	2	1	–		—		—		22	6
	Total		29	5	3	1	–		—		—		32	6
Sparta Rotterdam (loan)	2022–23	Eredivisie	30	7	2	0	–		—		0	0	32	7
	2023–24	Eredivisie	20	3	0	0	–		—		1^[c]	0	21	3
	Total		50	10	2	0	–		–		1	0	53	10
Career total			142	24	7	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	152	25

^ Appearances in the Emperor's Cup
^ Appearances in the J.League Cup
^ Appearances in Eredivisie European Play-offs

Honours

Individual

Eredivisie Team of the Month: March 2023,^[10]

References

^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
^ "横浜FCユースFW斉藤光毅選手 U-18（FIFA U-20ワールドカップ2019）日本代表ポルトガル遠征「第24回U18リスボン国際トーナメント」選出のお知らせ | 横浜FCオフィシャルホームページ". yokohamafc.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018.
^ "51歳カズが16歳斉藤と２トップ縦パスで見せ場 – Ｊ２ : 日刊スポーツ".
^ "Welkom Kōki Saitō!" (in Dutch). Lommel S.K. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
^ "SPARTA HUURT JAPANS JEUGDINTERNATIONAL SAITŌ" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 25 June 2022.
^ "WITTE ROOK IN ROTTERDAM-WEST: SAITŌ NOG EEN SEIZOEN BIJ SPARTA" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 5 June 2023.
^ "Saitō & Dembélé join on loan". www.qpr.co.uk. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 193 out of 289).
^ Kōki Saitō at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
^ "Sparta and AZ dominate Eredivisie team of the month in march". Eredivisie. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.

External links

Kōki Saitō at j-league.or.jp (in Japanese)
Kōki Saitō at jleague.jp (archived 24 August 2018) (in Japanese)
Kōki Saitō at Yokohama FC (archived) (in Japanese)
Kōki Saitō at WorldFootball.net

This biographical article related to a Japanese association football forward, born in the 2000s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[EC-10] Appearances in the Emperor's Cup

[JLC-11] Appearances in the J.League Cup

[EEP-12] Appearances in Eredivisie European Play-offs

[1] "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.

[2] "横浜FCユースFW斉藤光毅選手 U-18（FIFA U-20ワールドカップ2019）日本代表ポルトガル遠征「第24回U18リスボン国際トーナメント」選出のお知らせ | 横浜FCオフィシャルホームページ". yokohamafc.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018.

[3] "51歳カズが16歳斉藤と２トップ縦パスで見せ場 – Ｊ２ : 日刊スポーツ".

[4] "Welkom Kōki Saitō!" (in Dutch). Lommel S.K. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.

[5] "SPARTA HUURT JAPANS JEUGDINTERNATIONAL SAITŌ" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 25 June 2022.

[6] "WITTE ROOK IN ROTTERDAM-WEST: SAITŌ NOG EEN SEIZOEN BIJ SPARTA" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 5 June 2023.

[7] "Saitō & Dembélé join on loan". www.qpr.co.uk. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.

[8] Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 193 out of 289).

[9] Kōki Saitō at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 July 2018.

[13] "Sparta and AZ dominate Eredivisie team of the month in march". Eredivisie. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[a]

[b]

[c]

[10]