Kawasaki Frontale midfielder Hidemasa Morita, selected for this season's J-League Best 11 after helping the club win its third top-flight championship in four years, is set to join Portuguese first-division side Santa Clara, sources with knowledge of the move said Tuesday.
The 25-year-old defensive midfielder is expected to depart for Europe after Kawasaki battle first-division runners-up Gamba Osaka in the Emperor's Cup final on New Year's Day.
A strong passer with a knack for winning contested balls, Morita has been a major contributor for Frontale since helping them capture the 2018 J-League title as a rookie out of Ryutsu Keizai University.
The Osaka Prefecture native has earned three caps for Japan after making his international debut against Costa Rica in September 2018.
Santa Clara, based in Ponta Delgada, in the Azores islands, finished ninth in the Portuguese top flight last season.
Related coverage:
Football: Beleza defeat Urawa 4-3, win 4th straight Empress's Cup
Football: Kawasaki, Gamba advance to Emperor's Cup final
Football: Japan ass'n suspends Emperor's Cup ticket sales over coronavirus
