Taichi Hara from Kyoto Sanga is close to transferring to St. Pauli, as the club from Hamburg seeks to strengthen its offense. Negotiations involving all parties are in the final stages and are reported to be near completion. An official statement from Hara's current club confirmed that the 1.91-meter-tall striker was leaving the team on January 28th to complete the procedures for a transfer to an unnamed foreign club. The 26-year-old, a two-time Japan international, has prior experience in Europe with clubs in Croatia, Belgium, and Spain. His performance last season, which included five goals and ten assists in 34 league appearances, also attracted interest from other clubs in Japan and Europe, but St. Pauli is now expected to complete the signing. Hara joined Kyoto Sanga in July 2023 and has a contract that expires on January 31, 2026. His current market value is €1.50m, according to Transfermarkt.