German third-division side Viktoria Köln announced on May 9 that they have mutually agreed to terminate the contract of Japanese midfielder Soichiro Kozuki, who will leave the club after the current season.
Kozuki, 25, scored two goals in 20 league appearances this season but saw limited playing time, logging just 516 minutes and often being used as a substitute. He made headlines on May 2 when he scored just one minute after coming off the bench in a 3. Liga match against Ulm.
According to German football outlet OneFootball, the contract termination was agreed by both parties. Viktoria Köln’s sporting director, Valentin Schäfer, expressed regret over the departure of the Japanese talent, saying, “In football, even when you give your best, things don’t always go as planned.”
Kozuki made his J.League debut in 2018 for Kyoto Sanga FC while still a high school student. In December 2022, he signed a professional contract with German powerhouse Schalke 04 and scored his first Bundesliga goal in January 2023 against RB Leipzig, drawing attention both domestically and internationally as a promising prospect.