Japan forward Okazaki leaving MÃ¡laga after 1 month

Posted September 03, 2019 7:00 am

The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - Japan forward Shinji Okazaki has had his contract with MÃ¡laga canceled after joining the second-tier Spanish club only a month ago.

The 33-year-old Okazaki was one of MÃ¡laga's highest profile signings in a move finalized on July 30 but it decided to leave the former Leicester player out of the final squad after the transfer window closed Monday.

No details were immediately available but Spanish media reports said the player's contract was too expensive for the club's budget this season. Many MÃ¡laga fans were upset with the decision with some Okazaki jerseys already sold.

Okazaki went to this year's Copa AmÃ©rica in Brazil with the Japan national team. He was part of the Leicester squad that famously won the English Premier League title in 2016.

MÃ¡laga, which is owned by Qatari Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, is 11th in the second division with four points from three matches. Okazaki did not play in any of them.

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