Coventry City have targeted Japanese international Tatsuhiro Sakamoto. who has been plying his trade in Belgium.

The 26-year-old wing-back is claimed to be joining the Sky Blues for a fee of around 2m Euros (£1.7m) from KV Oostende. who were relegated from the Belgian top flight Jupiler League last season. However, CoventryLive understands the fee is closer to 1.5m Euros (£1.2m).

Belgian newspaper nieuwsblad reports: “KV Oostende loses another important pawn after the relegation. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (26) moves to Coventry City, England. The Japanese left flank will therefore play in the Championship.

“Coventry is approaching the asking price of around two million euros, which can rise to three million euros through bonuses. AA Gent and RC Genk were also interested in the Japanese, but they did not want to go that far financially. Sakamoto had 7 assists last season.”

The Tokyo-born player started out at Montedio Yamagata in the Japanese second tier, scoring seven goals in 44 games, before stepping up to the highest J1 division with Cerezo Osaka, for whom he scored eight goals in 66 league games between 2020-22.

He then moved to Europe with a loan spell at Oostende in January 2022 with an option for the Belgium club to buy. This option was triggered later in May, with Oostende signing him in a complete transfer lasting to 2025.

But, after finishing second from bottom of the division last term, Oostende have dropped to the second tier and Sakamoto appears to be a wanted man.