Japan center-back Naomichi Ueda joined Nimes on a permanent deal Friday after spending the last half of the season on loan at the French club from Cercle Brugge.
Nimes, relegated after finishing 19th in the 20-team Ligue 1 this season, exercised their option to buy the 26-year-old defender who made nine league appearances.
Nimes defender Naomichi Ueda. (Getty/Kyodo)
The Kumamoto native was part of the 2018 World Cup squad for Japan while playing for Kashima Antlers and joined Cercle Brugge in the Belgian top-flight that summer.
The 1.86-meter defender scored his first goal for Japan during a 1-0 friendly win over the Ivory Coast in October.
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Football: Japan defender Naomichi Ueda joins Nimes on loan from Cercle Brugge
