Ota Yamamoto: Who is RB Leipzig's Japanese midfielder?
RB Leipzig have completed the signing of Kashiwa Reysol midfielder Ota Yamamoto, who will return to RB Ōmiya Ardija on loan to continue his development.
Stats correct as of 30 June 2026
Ota Yamamoto
Age: 22 (born 4 June 2004)
Club: RB Leipzig (on loan at RB Ōmiya Ardija)
Position: Attacking midfielder
Country: Japan (uncapped)
Key stats
Yamamoto has signed a four-year deal with Leipzig running until the summer of 2031. The right-footed attacker enjoyed a productive loan spell at sister club Ōmiya during the 2026 J2/J3 Special Season, registering 10 goals and three assists – the same tally he recorded in the previous campaign with J2 League side Renofa Yamaguchi.
The Hiroshima native has also gained top-flight experience with Kashiwa Reysol, featuring in the J1 League, J.League Cup and Emperor's Cup, either side of a short loan spell at second-tier Tochigi.
Plays a bit like: Daichi Kamada
Yamamoto is a dynamic attacking midfielder who thrives in the spaces between the lines. Rather than dictating play from a traditional No.10 role, he influences matches through intelligent movement, sharp combinations and incisive runs into the penalty area – a profile reminiscent of a young Daichi Kamada during his time at Eintracht Frankfurt, rather than a conventional playmaker.
Did you know?
Yamamoto becomes the latest talent to enter Red Bull's global football ecosystem, a network of clubs stretching from Leipzig and Salzburg to New York, Bragantino and Ōmiya Ardija.
The network is overseen by legendary German coach Jürgen Klopp, who joined Red Bull as Global Head of Soccer on 1 January 2025 to help shape the group's football philosophy and long-term development strategy.
What they're saying
"We always try to sign young, hungry, high-potential players." - Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer
"Yamamoto is the embodiment of the Red Bull football I want to create" - ex-Ōmiya Ardija head coach Yuki Miyazawa
