After a third metatarsal fracture
©IMAGO
Hiroki Ito’s time at FC Bayern has so far been marked by setbacks. In the game against SC Freiburg on Saturday, the 26-year-old will celebrate his return to the squad – once again after a metatarsal fracture. According to sports director Christoph Freund, the Japanese, who came from VfB Stuttgart for 23.5 million euros in 2024, still looks like a newcomer.
“It has been unfortunate so far for him and for everyone involved,” explained the 48-year-old on “Sky”. “He’s come back really well after the first training sessions. He’s beaming. He can do what he loves best again: play football. He’s really fit.” So far, Ito has only made eight appearances over 282 minutes in the Bayern jersey, and he even scored a goal in the 4-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt last year.
However, the left-footed player, who can be used both centrally and on the wing, was unable to play for long periods of time. He broke his metatarsal a total of three times – first in July 2024 immediately after the move, then again in March 2025 and for the third time in July of this year. During this time he missed 69 competitive games and the market value fell from 30 million to 18 million euros (will be determined in the market value analysis for the next update).
Nevertheless, Bayern are positive that Ito can continue to be an important part of the squad. “We were also careful throughout the whole process. It happened three times. We are convinced that this story is over now. He will help the team with the way he plays. He is a really good footballer and we are happy for him that he is back. He will be an important pillar for us in the next few months.”