Jump to content

Naoto Arai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Naoto Arai
新井 直人
Personal information
Full name Naoto Arai
Date of birth (1996-10-07) 7 October 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Number 13
Youth career
Kitazawa Kickers
FC Shibuya
2012–2014 Jissen Gakuen High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Niigata University of Management
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2021 Albirex Niigata 57 (1)
2021–2023 Cerezo Osaka 6 (0)
2022−2023 → Tokushima Vortis (loan) 38 (2)
2023–2024 Albirex Niigata 27 (3)
2024– Sanfrecce Hiroshima 39 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:51, 26 April 2025 (UTC)

Naoto Arai (新井 直人, Arai Naoto, born 7 October 1996) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a right-back for J1 League club Sanfrecce Hiroshima.[1]

Arai has spent most of his career playing in the J1 League and the J2 League, mainly for Albirex Niigata. He has also spent time at Cerezo Osaka, Tokushima Vortis and Sanfreece Hiroshima.

Career

[edit]

On 9 February 2019, Arai was announced at Albirex Niigata, after joining from the Niigata University of Management.[2] He made his debut against Kyoto Sanga on 24 February 2019, playing the full 90 minutes.[3] Arai scored his first professional goal against JEF United Chiba on 3 March 2019, scoring in the 90th+5th minute.[4] After playing the required 900 minutes, Arai's contract was changed from a Professional C contract to a Professional A contract on 13 June 2019.[5]

On 21 December 2020, Arai was announced at Cerezo Osaka on a permanent transfer. He played in 57 league matches for Albirex Niigata.[6]

On 7 January 2022, Arai was announced at Tokushima Vortis on a one year loan.[7] On 2 December 2022, Arai's loan with Tokushima Vortis expired. He played in 38 games and scored 2 goals for the club during his time there.[8]

On 2 December 2022, Arai returned to Albirex Niigata on a permanent transfer.[9]

On 21 March 2024, Arai was announced at Sanfreece Hiroshima on a permanent transfer.[10] He scored his first career hattrick, scoring against Kyoto Sanga on 19 May 2024.[11]

During his time at Sanfreece Hiroshima, Arai won the 2025 Japanese Super Cup. He was subsituted on in the 89th minute for Shuto Nakano.[12]

Honours

[edit]

Sanfrecce Hiroshima

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Naoto Arai :: Naoto Arai :: Cerezo Osaka".
  2. ^ "新井 直人選手（新潟経営大学） 新加入内定のお知らせ" [Announcement of new signing of Naoto Arai (Niigata University of Management)]. www.albirex.co.jp (in Japanese).
  3. ^ "Kyoto Sanga vs Albirex Niigata - 24 February 2019". int.soccerway.com.
  4. ^ "特大のインパクト残した大卒ルーキー!! 2戦連続フル出場の新潟DF新井直人、「頭が真っ白になった」プロ初ゴール" [A university graduate rookie who made a huge impact! Niigata DF Naoto Arai, who played the full 90 minutes for the second consecutive game, "My mind went blank" after scoring his first professional goal]. web.gekisaka.jp (in Japanese).
  5. ^ "新井 直人 選手　プロＡ契約締結のお知らせ" [Naoto Arai signs a professional A contract]. www.albirex.co.jp (in Japanese).
  6. ^ "新井 直人 選手 セレッソ大阪に完全移籍のお知らせ" [Naoto Arai transfers to Cerezo Osaka]. www.albirex.co.jp (in Japanese).
  7. ^ "新井 直人選手期限付き移籍加入のお知らせ" [Naoto Arai joins the team on loan]. www.vortis.jp (in Japanese).
  8. ^ "新井 直人選手期限付き移籍期間満了のお知らせ" [Announcement of the expiration of the loan period for Naoto Arai]. www.vortis.jp (in Japanese).
  9. ^ "セレッソ大阪から 新井 直人 選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ" [Announcement of permanent transfer of Naoto Arai from Cerezo Osaka]. www.albirex.co.jp (in Japanese).
  10. ^ "新井直人選手 アルビレックス新潟より完全移籍加入のお知らせ" [Naoto Arai joins the team on a permanent transfer from Albirex Niigata]. www.sanfreece.co.jp (in Japanese).
  11. ^ "Kyoto Sanga vs Sanfreece Hiroshima - 19 May 2024". int.soccerway.com.
  12. ^ "Vissel Kobe vs Sanfreece Hiroshima - 8 February 2025". www.jleague.co.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naoto_Arai&oldid=1287486392"