Very few players could torment a full back and then write a detailed essay on how he did it. But Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma could, because the Japan international is a former student of the University of Tsukuba where he wrote his thesis on the art of dribbling.
Mitoma continued his surge as one of English football’s newest stars on Saturday, with Brighton’s £2.5million signing — yes, £2.5m, they have done it again — scoring for the third successive outing.
Brighton signed Mitoma from Kawasaki Frontale. The story goes he initially put off joining the Japanese side feeling he was not ready to be a footballer.