Gunners confirm Inamoto signing

London's Arsenal football club have signed 21-year-old Junichi Inamoto, the Japanese international from J-League Gamba Osaka.

The midfielder has 22 senior caps for his country and was part of the succesful team behind the Asian Cup and Kirin Cup victories this year. Although Arsenal will not disclose the actual fee paid for Inamoto, it is believed to be around £4million

Inamoto is likely to make his debut later this week in one of the three pre-season friendly matches Arsenal will play in Austria. Arsenal were originally scheduled to open their programme against 1860 Munich on Wednesday night but the German side are facing Newcastle United in the Intertoto Cup and now Arsenal will face new opposition in Turkish side Kocaelispor.

Aresenal's manager Arsene Wenger had joined the side in September 1996 from Japanese club Nagoya Grampus 8. Wenger is rumoured to have tracked Inamoto for some time, confirming his interest in the player when attending the Confederations Cup Tournament last month.