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Asia is currently one of the biggest markets for the top leagues in Europe. The overtures made by various teams in England and Spain to try and reach out to these fans, several thousand nautical miles away, is now a constant feature, as they realise the potential in the East.
Revenues have steadily been increasing in number (which hasn't gone unnoticed by the teams) as the top leagues try and consolidate their fan-bases in Asia, by having regular fan parks and exhibition matches in the continent during pre-season. The crowd in Beijing got to see Arsenal play Chelsea before the start of the current season. We bet they weren't complaining.
These associations have benefitted both parties significantly and are favourably influencing the movement of Asian players to the top European leagues. Just last year, a trio of Saudi Arabian players moved to Spain to ply their trade in Spain's premier league.
Spanish top flight clubs Villarreal, Leganes and Levante have all brought in recruits on loan from the Arab state until the end of the season, with a further six players either heading to second division outfits or youth teams.
It’s part of an agreement between the football associations of the two countries. Villarreal have signed midfielder Salem Al Dawsari, Levante have captured Fahad Al-Muwallad and Leganes have brought in forward Yahya Al-Shehri. Marwan Othman will also join Leganes’ youth ranks.
Which got us thinking. Who are the 5 best players of Asian descent, forcing the world to take notice?
This is the list we came up with.
#5 Ki Sung-yueng (Swansea)
Ki Sung-Yueng (KI.S.Y) has been a regular in the English premier League for half a decade now and is regarded as one of the more consistent players in his current side Swansea City. The central midfielder has 150 appearances for the Welsh club and is better suited to the defensive side of play.
The South Korean who had a humble beginning to his footballing career with FC Seoul in his native country got his break on the world stage with Celtic in the Scottish League where he put in some decent performances. He caught the eye of the side from Wales and subsequently got his first start in the Premier League with them.
He is a box to box midfielder who is very adept at breaking down the game and providing cover for the defence. The Asian also chips in with his fair share of goals (27) and assists (28) for his sides. He had a brief spell on loan at Sunderland where he impressed and since has become a regular starter for the football club from Swansea.
With significant experience in England's top flight - with the ability to read the game and control the tempo for his team - Ki is right up there as far as Asian players in Europe are concerned.
#4 Takshi inui
Having played for a whole host of clubs in Japan, Takashi Inui got his move up to Europe with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga (after a short spell in the second league in Germany), where he spent three seasons before being sold to SD Eibar, in Northern Spain.
Currently, in his third season in the La Liga, the 29-year-old has been one of the bright spots in the Eibar team, who are currently flying high in 7th place in the table. Inui impressed a great deal in their last match against the reigning champions Barcelona, conjuring up chances for his teammates who failed to make the most of the opportunities provided to them by the Asian.
The man from Omihachiman, Shig in Japan plays on the left wing and looks to come inside -onto his favourite right foot - and take a crack at goal or play in those further ahead of him; scoring 65 times and assisting another 62 in the three countries he has played in.
Considerable contribution that by the Japanese, putting him on our list at #4.
#3 Maya Yoshida (Southampton)
Having played over 150 games at centre-back for the English side, Maya Yoshida is one of the more experienced Asian players in the Premier League. The Japanese is a regular starter for his team and also captains the side in the absence of club captain, Steven Davis.
Yoshida has also scored 10 goals in 80 appearances for his national side.
Armed with experience, the man from Nagasaki is solid in defence and is a leader at the back for Southampton, who are currently missing his services due to injury and will be desperate to see their man back in action ASAP.
Yoshida has played alongside (rather successfully) the likes of Dejan Lovren and Virgil van Dijk, both of whom moved on to greener pastures but have failed to replicate the performances they put in for the Saints.
Whether the absence of the calm, no-nonsense demeanour of the Saints' centre-back had anything to do with it, is anybody's guess. Either way, the defender has found space (something the forwards fail to find against him) in our list for the top 5 most talented Asian footballers currently playing in Europe.
#2 Shinji Kagawa
Shinji Kagawa(!) is a tremendously talented attacking midfielder who has been on the top of the world game for some time now. In Europe since the start of the decade, the Japanese is the most experienced Asian on this list.
First catching the eye in the yellow for the German side, Kagawa had a great start to life in Europe with the Giants of the Bundesliga. The creative midfielder has a keen eye for goal scoring 60 times for Dortmund and making another 54 in his time with the club.
The most followed club in Asia is Manchester United, and the fans got their wish when the Japanese moved to England to play for the giants of English football and got off to a blistering start in the Premier League. His form tailed off later on though, eventually seeing him move back to the Signal Iduna Park.
The Asian legend has a career total 121 goals in 394 matches. Sensational returns for a midfielder, putting him at #2 on our list.
#1 Son Heung-min
Yes! Here's our number one. Son Heung-min.
The word 'under-rated' is often overused in footballing jargon, but it is definitely merited in the case of the South Korean. The Tottenham man is a delight to watch and is constantly looking to affect any game he is involved in, and very rarely does he fail at it.
Decent pace, good ball-control, proper footballing brain and an unerring ability to finish; the forward has been biting at the ankles of Tottenham's superstar, Harry Kane, to be the main striker for the North London side.
The 25-year-old has gained credibility by putting in utterly consistent performances in the youth academy at Hamburg, Germany before he got a call-up to the senior side. Impressed by his performances, Bayern Leverkusen decided to bring the Asian into their team, a move which paid off instantly.
But it was only a matter of time before the Korean was going to be snapped up by one of the bigger teams, which is exactly what happened as Spurs prized away the striker for a £27 million transfer fee. A figure which quite a few questioned at the time.
But the dazzling Asian has paid that back and some more, putting in shifts that have become the norm at the North London club under Mauricio Pochettino - who has failed to deny Son game-time despite having options to chose from.
Keeping a class-act like Kagawa off top spot is no easy feat, but something the most exciting Asain footballer currently, has managed to do quite easily. To be honest, we kinda sorta did this piece so that we could rave about the most undervalued player in world football at the moment.
Go look up the stats for the South Korean, it's definitely worth the effort. His chance conversion rate is quite simply stunning. He shoots. He scores.
Go on Son, keeping laying it on us!
