Ryotaro Meshino joined Manchester City on a three-year deal from Gamba Osaka in 2019 but has yet to make an appearance for the Sky Blues. The 23-year-old needed first-team football to boost his development but found himself low down the pecking order, so he was immediately loaned out.
Meshino’s had stints at Heart of Midlothian (August 2019 – May 2020), Rio Ave (September 2020 – June 2021) and Estorial Praia (August 2021 – present), but his time in Estorial hasn’t gone well. The Japanese youth international has struggled for playing time and form, spending more time on the bench or out the matchday squad than on the pitch.
Meshino has made 7/29 Liga Portugal appearances this season (24%), amassing just 77 minutes of football from a possible 2610 (3%) and scoring one goal. The 23-year-old has featured just once in the league since the turn of the year and has made the squad only one time in two months, so it’s clear he’s surplus to requirements.
Meshino will be also out of contract at City when his loan deal at Estoril ends, so he could soon find himself in the wilderness. It’s hard to see how many clubs will be queuing up for his signature after this forgettable season.
In other news, Man City exit hasn’t gone to plan for Daniel Arzani