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Leicester City sign Japan international Shinji Okazaki for £7.5m from Bundesliga side Mainz

Foxes also remain hopeful Esteban Cambiasso will sign new deal

Samuel Stevens
Friday 26 June 2015 21:14 BST
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Leicester City have confirmed the £7.5m capture of Japanese international striker Shinji Okazaki and remain optimistic of persuading Esteban Cambiasso to stay for another year.

The 29-year-old forward, who is the third most prolific goalscorer in Japan’s history, joins the Foxes on a four-year contract after netting 12 goals for Mainz in the Bundesliga last season.

Leicester have already signed Christian Fuchs from Schalke and convinced Robert Huth to join on a permanent basis following an impressive loan spell from Stoke City.

Nigel Pearson failed to secure Okazaki’s signature last summer before another failed attempt in January as Leicester eventually settled for £7.2m Croatian striker Andrej Kramarić instead.

The newest addition to the Premier League was flown to Leicester's training ground in vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha's helicopter and the Thai businessman hopes the signing will broaden their commercial appeal in Asia.

Speaking to the East Midlands club’s official website, Okazaki said: “I am very happy to be here. To play in the Premier League is my dream and I will make every effort to help the team here at Leicester City.

“I will do my best to show how I can play and try to make a lot of goals for the supporters.

“I watched every match [last season] in the Premier League not all of them are easy. There were hard games. In the last few games the crowd were great and the players responded. It was an amazing result at the end of the season.”

Meanwhile Pearson is also hopeful that Cambiasso will spend another year at Leicester after inspiring them to top flight survival last year.

The former Inter Milan midfielder has received offers from across the globe, including an audacious attempt by West Ham United, but the King Power Stadium remains his most likely destination.

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