OSAKA -- Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto has signed a one-year loan deal with English Premier League side Fulham, officials of his club Gamba Osaka said Monday.
The 22-year-old, who shone at last month's World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea, joins the west London club on a one-year trial with a further option of completing the move with a three-year contract. Gamba Osaka will bank an estimated $4.7 million for the transfer.
Inamoto was released by English league and cup double winners Arsenal at the end of June. He did not make a league appearance with the north London club after his $5.7 million move from Gamba in July 2001, and was limited to just two outings in the League Cup and a pair of cameo roles in the Champions League.
But the bleach-blonde midfielder attracted offers from Fulham and Italian Serie A side Perugia after impressing at the World Cup, where he scored two goals and played a key role in helping the co-hosts reach the last 16 of the finals for the first time ever.
Fulham has announced the deal on their Web site and are set to officially unveil Inamoto at a news conference Friday.