Top 5 Asian players to have graced the Premier League

#3 Shinji Okazaki

Shinji Okazaki's goals helped Leicester to win the Premier League in 2015-16

Japan’s top active national team goalscorer with a total of 50 goals, Shinji Okazaki famously won the Premier League as part of football’s ultimate underdog side – Leicester City – in the 2015/16 season.

That season was his first one in England, as he made a £7m move to the King Power Stadium in the summer of 2015 following a run at Bundesliga side Mainz that saw him score 29 goals in 70 appearances.

While Okazaki’s part in Leicester’s eventual title victory wasn’t as monumental as that of Jamie Vardy or Riyad Mahrez, the Japanese striker certainly did his bit. He made 36 Premier League appearances during the season, scoring 5 goals – including winners against Everton and Newcastle, the latter of which was a spectacular overhead volley.

Okazaki won the Asian International Player of the Year award for his exploits that season, and while his influence waned over his subsequent 3 seasons in the East Midlands, he was still able to score a further 9 goals for the Foxes and remained a popular part of their side throughout his time at the club.