Atsuki Ito Joins Bolton Wanderers from Gent

Atsuki Ito has left Gent for Bolton Wanderers, becoming the first to make the jump from Belgium to the Championship in this window amid growing talk that Max Dean could soon follow the same path.

The Japanese midfielder departs without ever truly matching the expectations that greeted his arrival in 2024, when Gent moved to bring him in as a key piece of their rebuild. A different country, a different tempo, and a different style now await. Bolton are betting that a change of scenery can drag back the sharp, all‑action form he showed in the J League.

Ito arrived in Europe on the back of four strong seasons with Urawa Red Diamonds. From central midfield he produced 19 goals and 15 assists, numbers that marked him out as more than just a tidy passer. Gent saw a player who could knit play together and hurt opponents in the final third, especially after losing influential midfielder Hyun-Seok Hong.

His first campaign in Belgium was solid rather than eye-catching. Ito featured 46 times in all competitions, scoring twice and adding one assist. He adapted, kept the ball moving, did his job. But he didn’t quite become the driving force many had forecast.

The following season told a slightly different story. His influence in the final third grew, even as his minutes began to shrink. Across 33 appearances he found the net five times and set up three goals, a clear uptick in productivity whenever he was on the pitch.

The problem was simple: Rik De Mil looked elsewhere when it came to his preferred midfield core. The Gent head coach leaned on former Cercle Brugge man Leandro Lopes as his holding midfielder, with Matias Delorge partnering him when fit. Higher up the pitch, Abdelkahar Kadri was trusted as the main attacking option between the lines.

Ito, capable of operating deep or further forward, never fully nailed down one role. His versatility became a double-edged sword. Useful to have, easy to overlook.

Bolton will see that flexibility as a major asset. He can anchor play from the base of midfield, link attacks from a box-to-box role, or push on to support the forwards. Technically, he is secure. Tactically, he has now worked in two contrasting football cultures.

Crucially, two seasons in Belgian football should harden him for the demands of the Championship. If he can blend that technical polish with the league’s physical edge, Bolton may end up with the version of Atsuki Ito that Gent only ever glimpsed.