Shu Kurata

Shu Kurata operates as Gamba Osaka's Bronze-tier utility player, demonstrating the kind of tactical intelligence that only decades of top-flight experience can forge. Having first joined the club's ranks all the way back in 2007, the 38-year-old veteran has built up a massive body of work. He offers invaluable versatility and unmatched loyalty to the badge over an extensive and winding career that defines longevity.

His current campaign consists of 287 minutes spread across six appearances, maintaining a consistent level whenever called upon by the manager. The defining feature of his game remains an impressively high Dribbling dimension. Possessing excellent close control and a sharp ability to draw crucial fouls in tight areas, he has rightfully earned the DRIBBLER badge this season. However, his final product has occasionally let him down; failing to find the back of the net after getting into promising spaces has led to him being tagged as WASTEFUL in front of goal. Still, a return of zero goals and zero assists does not tell the whole story for a player whose main function is to navigate pressure and stitch the play together rather than exclusively produce decisive final-third actions.

While his market valuation remains completely flat at this late stage of his playing days, his actual worth to the dressing room cannot be quantified on a balance sheet. He is playing purely for pride, legacy, and the badge rather than angling for future transfers.