New Arsenal signing Takuma Asano has failed to secure a work permit to play in England, Arsene Wenger has confirmed.
The 21-year-old, who joined the Gunners from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, will now have to be loaned out before making a renewed application next summer.
Asano is one of only three players Wenger has signed this summer and had been set to compete for a place in the first-team squad after impressing for Japan at the Olympic Games.
"He's a player I believe in a lot," Wenger told reporters after confirming the decision. "I will take care of him and make sure he gets to the right place."
When asked why his application was unsuccessful, the manager replied: "Because he didn’t cost £50 million."
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