Domestic-league season · Albirex Niigata.
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.
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 J-League Cupat Kashiwa Reysol | 3 | 0 | 0 | 270 | — |
 J1 Leagueat Kashiwa Reysol | 6 | 0 | 0 | 129 | 6.6 |
Following his move to Albirex Niigata, Shirai's current-season form is up 29% on last season (Season 24→31), while his Rating eased 38→31. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.
| Season | Club | Apps | G | A | Match | RTG | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Albirex Niigata · 20th | 21 | 2 | 0 | 6.89 | 31 | 31 |
| 2024/25 | Kashiwa Reysol · 17th | 37 | 1 | 1 | 6.87 | 38 | 24 |
Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year.
E. Shirai is a 30-year-old central midfielder at Albirex Niigata, rated 30.7 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 550th of 874 in the J3 League. An experienced operator, he has been a regular starter this season (77.8% 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.
Judged on this season alone, Shirai graded 31 — a standout campaign that ranks top 5% of the 241 central midfielders in the J3 League, on 2 goals, 0 assists and 2.386 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 24 → 31).
On long-term talent our Rating reads 31, 161st of 241 of the 241 central midfielders in the J3 League. At 30 Shirai is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 11.7 reflects that trajectory.
Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.
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.
With a Rating of 30.7, Shirai carries the 161st-highest potential of the central midfielders in the J3 League of 241, and he is posting that for a relegation-threatened side (Albirex Niigata finished 20th of 20) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. 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.
The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~23), then tapers with age. At 30, Shirai sits on 11.7, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Shirai's projected Rating — 30.7 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.
No transfer news found for this player.
