Southampton agree loan deal with Werder Bremen for Yukinari Sugawara | OneFootball

Japanese wing-back Yukinari Sugawara is on his way to the German Bundesliga.

German Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen have agreed a deal to sign Southampton's Yukinari Sugawara, with the Japanese full-back set for a medical.

According to journalist Florian Plettenberg via X, Southampton have accepted an offer to loan out Sugawara, with there being an option to buy the 25-year-old at the end of the temporary agreement at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Sugawara joined the Saints last summer from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar for a fee believed to be in the region of £6 million.

The 15-cap Japanese international played 30 times for Southampton as they were relegated from the Premier League last season as he struggled to adapt to life in the English top flight under either Russell Martin or Ivan Juric.

Yukinari Sugawara is set to leave Southampton after just one season

After just one season on the South Coast, Sugawara is set to leave the club to join Werder Bremen.

Bremen finished eighth in the Bundesliga last season under now-RB Leipzig head coach Ole Werner, and look set to sign Sugawara to bolster their squad ahead of this upcoming season.

The 25-year-old was signed for the Saints under ex-manager Martin following their play-off final victory over Leeds United to earn promotion, having been a regular in the Eredivisie and Europe the prior three seasons for AZ.

However, life at Saint Mary's wasn't easy for Sugawara, who found himself in and out of the side, having to compete with Kyle Walker-Peters for minutes in the right wing-back role.

Although he made 30 Premier League appearances in his debut season for the club, a large portion of those, unfortunately for Sugawara, came as a substitute.

Now under new boss Will Still, his place in the side appeared uncertain, having missed the club's most recent fixture, a 2-1 defeat at home to Stoke City, where Ryan Fraser was preferred on the right flank.

Southampton have multiple options at right-wing back following the arrival of Mads Roerslev

Having completed the signing of Danish international Mads Roerslev from Brentford, the exit door appears to have opened for Sugawara.

Roerslev, 26, had made 146 appearances for Brentford prior to his switch to the Saints, with 94 of those having come in the Premier League, bringing a large amount of experience and quality to Still's side.

Southampton will be hoping to get back to winning ways with two away trips in a row, with a League Cup tie at Norwich City before an away trip to Watford in the Championship ahead of the international break.

As for Sugawara, his time as a Southampton player appears to be over, having travelled to Germany to complete his medical ahead of joining Bremen on loan for the season.

How much that buy option is worth and whether Bremen will trigger it remains to be seen, but for now, Sugawara leaves St Mary's on loan.