The arrival of Nelson Ishiwatari has been completed. The 21-year-old midfielder signed a multi-year contract, joining from Cerezo Osaka where he was named one of the best young players in the J1 League last season. CEO Takayuki Tateishi stated that they followed Nelson for a considerable period and saw that he has a unique profile. The CEO added that in recent seasons, he continued to develop rapidly and they are convinced that he will become an important player at STVV.

Nelson Ishiwatari becomes the third summer signing for Sint-Truiden, joining after Joedrick Pupe and Frederic Soelle-Soelle. According to Danilo Servadei and Sponichi Soccer, the 21-year-old defensive midfielder arrives from Cerezo Osaka, and the arrangements for his arrival in Belgium are complete. The player, born in 2005, recorded 3 assists in the transition championship. Ishiwatari is expected to succeed Rihito Yamamoto at Stayen, who left for Freiburg for 8 million euros. The former Japan youth international will soon arrive at Stayen.

STVV made a bid for Nelson Ishiwatari, which was rejected because Osaka does not want to cooperate with a transfer at this time. Nelson Ishiwatari is a 21-year-old Japanese defensive midfielder who had his breakthrough at Cerezo Osaka in January and was named Talent of the Year in the Japanese league. His contract with the club is valid until June 30, 2026. Ishiwatari has been capped four times for the Japan U23 national team, and according to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €750k. In the 2025/2026 J1 Special Season, he has made 17 appearances and provided 3 assists.