based on the 2025 season · updated 18 Aug 2026
Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Albirex Niigata.
Also this season
Earlier this season at Kashiwa Reysol — J-League Cup: 3 apps, 0g 0a, 270 min
The headline Season rating covers his time at Albirex Niigata; availability counts only fixtures while in this squad.
Scout report
E. Shirai is a 30-year-old central midfielder at Albirex Niigata, rated 25.6 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (43% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.39 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Shirai.
On the season, Shirai graded 18 for current form (age-blind), on 2 goals, 0 assists and 2.386 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 24 → 18).
On long-term talent our Rating reads 26. At 30 Shirai is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 4 reflects that trajectory.
Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.
Output in context · Albirex Niigata finished 20th of 20 · a relegation-threatened side
2.39 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 3 clean sheets across 21 appearances. Doing that for a relegation-threatened side (20th of 20) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.
Watch points
- Game time. Only 43% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
Rated 25.6 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.39 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1× now → 0.7× projected in three years).
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Season statistics
Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the J2 League with 600+ minutes this season.
Shooting
Passing
Defending
Yellow/red cards
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
