Borussia Mönchengladbach have signed Daiki Hashioka on a season-long loan from Slavia Praha, with an option to buy. The 12-time Japan international will wear No.14 and arrives as cover at right-back and on the right side of central defence. The move also pushes Gladbach's Japanese presence up again, which is the most interesting part of the deal.

Gladbach's growing Japanese link

Hashioka becomes the third Japanese player in Gladbach's current squad, alongside Shuto Machino and fellow summer signing Zento Uno. That is a neat little marker of where the club are recruiting, and it gives the move a different feel from a standard depth signing.

Machino's last five club appearances for Gladbach were 21, 16, 87, 1 and 1 minutes, a spread that suggests he has already been used in different game states. Hashioka's arrival gives the club another Japanese international to fold into that same group, rather than a one-off addition.

Rouven Schröder said: "Daiki is quick, strong in the air and an aggressive defender. He can operate primarily at right-back or as a right-sided centre-back. He also brings plenty of experience, and we're confident he'll quickly prove an asset to the team."

Hashioka was just as direct about the move. "When my agent told me Borussia were interested, I was delighted. I knew straight away that I wanted to move here, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Bundesliga," he said.

What the move gives Gladbach now

Gladbach finished 12th in the 2025 Bundesliga with 38 points, a 9-11-14 record and a -11 goal difference. Their last five league results were W, L, W, D, D, so this is a squad that looks steady, but not exactly settled at the top end.

The next listed competitive game is away to Schott Mainz in the DFB Pokal on 2026-08-23, which leaves a short runway for Hashioka to get up to speed before the first knockout test.

For Gladbach, the loan is sensible on two levels. It adds a defender who can cover more than one position, and it deepens a Japanese connection that is now visible in the first-team group rather than sitting in the background.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →