Aston Villa have completed the signing of Akane Okuma, adding another promising young international to Natalia Arroyo’s squad ahead of the 2026/27 Women’s Super League season.
The 21-year-old goalkeeper joins from Japanese side INAC Kobe Leonessa after progressing through one of the country’s strongest football systems and representing Japan throughout the youth age groups before helping the senior national team win the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
While the move strengthens Villa’s goalkeeping department, it also says something about how the club are approaching recruitment. Rather than limiting their search to Europe’s established markets, Aston Villa continue to identify talent from different parts of the world in an effort to build a squad capable of growing together.
Transfer Snapshot
Player: Akane Okuma
Age: 21
Position: Goalkeeper
From: INAC Kobe Leonessa
To: Aston Villa
Transfer Status: Permanent Transfer
Nationality: Japan
Looking Beyond Europe
Director of Women’s Football Marisa Ewers described Okuma as “an exciting young talent” while highlighting the club’s desire to identify players from different markets around the world.
Japan has become one of women’s football’s most productive talent pools, producing technically accomplished players capable of adapting to different styles of football. European clubs have increasingly recognised that quality, with more Japanese internationals making successful moves abroad in recent seasons.
Instead of waiting for players to establish themselves elsewhere in Europe, the club have moved directly into the Japanese market to recruit a goalkeeper they believe can continue developing in England.
What Kind of Goalkeeper Have Villa Signed?
Akane Okuma has built her reputation on composure. Comfortable with the ball at her feet, she is known for her distribution and willingness to help build attacks from the back rather than simply clearing danger.
That technical quality is matched by strong shot-stopping ability, giving her a balanced profile that suits the modern demands placed on goalkeepers.
Her development through JEF United Chiba before earning a move to INAC Kobe Leonessa also exposed her to one of the strongest domestic environments in Asia before taking the next step in her career. At just 21 years old, there remains significant room for further growth.
International Experience at a Young Age
Although still early in her career, Okuma already arrives with valuable international experience. She has represented Japan throughout the youth age groups before earning her place in the senior squad that won the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, where she celebrated alongside Aston Villa teammate Maya Hijikata.
That connection should help ease her transition into a new country, league and dressing room. Moving from Japan to the Women’s Super League will inevitably present new challenges, but arriving alongside an international teammate provides an immediate point of familiarity as she settles into life at Villa.
Building for the Future
Akane Okuma’s signing reflects the type of squad Natalia Arroyo appears to be assembling. Rather than focusing exclusively on established stars, Villa continue to recruit younger players with the potential to develop over the coming seasons.
For goalkeepers in particular, development often requires patience. The position demands experience as much as talent, making long-term planning especially important. By recruiting Okuma at 21, Villa are investing in a player whose best football may still lie ahead.
It is another move that looks beyond the immediate season and towards building a stronger squad for the future.
Why It Matters
Akane Okuma’s arrival is about more than strengthening Aston Villa’s goalkeeping options.
It highlights a recruitment strategy willing to search beyond traditional European markets in pursuit of young talent capable of developing within the club’s environment.
If Okuma adapts successfully to English football, Aston Villa may have found another example of the growing influence Japanese players continue to have across Europe’s top leagues. She will be in direct competition with Ellie Roebuck if everything goes well for her.
Source: Aston Villa
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