宮市に労働ビザ、今季はアーセナルでプレーへ！！

Miyaichi granted work permit to play for Club(Arsenal Official Website)

Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce that Ryo Miyaichi has been granted the work permit he requires to play first-team football for the Club this season.

The 18-year-old arrived in January and spent last season on loan at Dutch club Feyenoord in order to help his adjustment to European football, while awaiting the clearance needed to represent Arsenal in the UK.

An FA panel met on Tuesday at Wembley Stadium to decide the case and heard from Arsène Wenger, who was in attendance, before granting the work permit on the grounds that Ryo is an ‘exceptional talent’. Supporting testimonials were also sent by the Japan Football Association, which significantly helped the process.

Miyaichi has impressed greatly during pre-season and featured in all matches played outside the UK, but now he has been authorised a work permit which means that he is free to play for Arsenal in the UK.

Upon hearing the news, Arsène Wenger said: “We are absolutely delighted that Ryo has been granted a work permit. This is almost like a new signing for us, as we weren’t completely sure we would be given the authorisation. Ryo has worked extremely hard in pre-season and performed very well during the matches in Asia, Germany and Portugal.

Wenger continued: “Ryo has natural technical ability. He has good balance and phenomenal pace, and his passing and crossing is consistently of a high quality. He is a very exciting player. He had a successful time with Feyenoord in the Netherlands last season, who gave him the opportunity to play regularly, and we’re looking forward to his contribution this coming season with Arsenal.”

Miyaichi will be eligible to play for the first team as soon as the formalities of the paperwork are completed.

Miyaichi permitted to play for Arsenal(ESPN Star.com)

The 18-year-old has featured in all of the London club's pre-season fixtures outside England, and speaking to Arsenal's official website, Wenger has expressed his delight.

"We are absolutely delighted that Ryo has been granted a work permit," the Frenchman crowed.

"Ryo has natural technical ability. He has good balance and phenomenal pace, and his passing and crossing is consistently of a high level. He is a very exciting player."

"This is almost like a new signing for us, as we weren't completely sure we would be given the authorisation.

"Ryo worked extremely hard in pre-season and performed well in the matches in Asia, Germany and Portugal."

He praised the Japanese's qualities on the pitch, adding: "Ryo has natural technical ability. He has good balance and phenomenal pace, and his passing and crossing is consistently of a high level. He is a very exciting player."

アーセナル宮市に労働許可　開幕戦起用も(日刊スポーツ)

宮市はＡ代表での出場歴がなく、労働許可取得の基準を満たしていなかったが「特別に優れた才能」が認められた。９日の審査にベンゲル監督が出席して聴聞に応じ、日本サッカー協会からの推薦状も提出したという。ベンゲル監督は「許可が下りる確証がなかったので、新しい選手と契約したみたいだ」と喜んだ。

愛知・中京大中京３年だった昨冬にアーセナルと長期契約を結んだ宮市はオランダ１部リーグのフェイエノールトに期限付きで移籍。鋭い突破力を生かしてチームをけん引し、計３得点で１部残留に貢献した。

アーセナルはファンペルシーら主力がけがを抱えて万全ではない。宮市は英国外で行われた開幕前の強化試合に出場し、ベンゲル監督が「バランスが良く、並外れたスピードがある。パスやクロスも質が高い」と高く評価しているだけに、敵地でニューカッスルと対戦する１３日の開幕戦で起用される可能性もある。

アーセナルに所属する宮市亮はイングランドでの労働ビザがなく、国内のプレーができない状態だったが、FA（イングランドサッカー協会）での聴聞会で、宮市の特別な才能が認められ、例外として労働ビザがおりることとなった。通常は直近の代表の試合で７５％の出場がないとEU圏外選手に労働ビザはおりない。

ベンゲルは最大級の言葉で宮市を褒めたたえ、アーセナルの新戦力となるだろうとしている。セスクやナスリの退団が噂され、多くの主力が怪我を抱えるなど明るいニュースが少なかったグーナーにとって久々の明るいニュースとなった。