Japan goalkeeper Okuma signs for Aston Villa

Japan goalkeeper Okuma signs for Aston VillaImage source, Aston VillaImage caption, Okuma was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves CupBySally FreedmanBBC Sport senior journalistPublished2 minutes agoAston Villa have signed Japan goalkeeper Akane Okuma, subject to visa approval.The 21-year-old joins the Women's Super League side from Japanese club INAC Kobe Leonessa, where she had played since 2024.Okuma began her senior career at JEF United Chiba.She represented Japan at youth level and was part of the senior squad that won the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup alongside new Villa team-mate Maya Hijikata.Villa director of women's football Marisa Ewers said: "Akane is an exciting young talent with a lot of potential and we're delighted to welcome her to Aston Villa."As a club, we're always looking at opportunities to identify talent in different markets around the world, and we're pleased to bring a player of Akane's profile to Villa."Okuma said she was looking forward to the next step in her career."I'm very happy to be here," she said. "I feel really fortunate to be a part of this club, and I can't wait to play with the team."Villa finished ninth in the 12-team WSL last season. The league's 2026-27 fixtures are scheduled to be released on 30 July, with the competition expanding to feature 14 teams.Find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feedRelated topicsWomen's FootballFootballWomen's Super LeagueMore on this storyGet the latest WSL news on our dedicated page