Hayao Kawabe

Kawabe's current-season form is level with last season (Season 41→41), while his Rating held around 35. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 42).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2027/28	Sanfrecce Hiroshima · 4th	3	0	1	7.13	35	41
2026/27	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	18	2	3	7.09	—	—
2025/26	Sanfrecce Hiroshima · 4th	37	3	2	7.11	35	41
2024/25	Sanfrecce Hiroshima · 2nd	13	0	2	7.02	35	13
2023/24	Standard Liege · 2nd	36	7	0	—	49	24

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 10 earlier seasons in the full career.

Japan · international

Side	Apps	G
Japan	8	1

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerCentral midfielder

H. Kawabe is a 30-year-old central midfielder at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, enjoying a standout season — 3 goals and 2 assists in 37 appearances, a Season grade of 41. On long-term scout potential he's rated 34.6. An experienced operator, he has been an ever-present (91.1% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.18 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Kawabe.

On the season, Kawabe graded 41 for current form (age-blind), on 3 goals, 2 assists and 3.179 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 41 → 41). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has held fairly steady, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 35. At 30 Kawabe is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 7.9 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Kawabe is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2020/21Trending upBreakout: 2025/26

34.6

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

41.2

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

91.1%

Minutes

near ever-present

3.18

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Sanfrecce Hiroshima finished 4th of 20 · an upper-table side

Apps

3.18

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.18 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 14 clean sheets across 37 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (4th of 20) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 3 goals and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 91.1% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 34.6 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.18 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.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %91.1%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.087

Assists / 900.058

Goal contribution / 900.145

Defensive actions / 903.179

Player flow

Goal involvements5

Cards / 900.087

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

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 (~16), then tapers with age. At 30, Kawabe sits on 7.9, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Kawabe's projected Rating — 34.6 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.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the J1 League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals3

Passing

Assists2

Defending

Tackles69

Interceptions31

Blocks10

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

€2.1M total transfer fees · 7 moves

Sanfrecce HiroshimaAug 2024 – now

Standard LiegeJul 2023 – Aug 2024€ 1.5M

Grasshoppers(on loan)Jan 2022 – Jul 2023

WolvesJan 2022 – Jan 2022€ 600K

GrasshoppersJul 2021 – Jan 2022

Sanfrecce Hiroshima(back from loan)Jan 2018 – Jul 2021

Jubilo Iwata(on loan)Jan 2015 – Jan 2018

Sanfrecce Hiroshimauntil Jan 2015

About H. Kawabe

Hayao Kawabe is a 30-year-old central midfielder who plays for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, born on September 8, 1995 in Hiroshima, standing 178 cm tall. He is from Japan. Sanfrecce Hiroshima currently sit 4th of 20 in the J1 League.

This season

In the current season, H. Kawabe has made 3 appearances with 0 goals and 1 assist across 267 minutes.

H. Kawabe's next match is on August 29, 2026, when Sanfrecce Hiroshima face Gamba Osaka away in the J1 League.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates H. Kawabe at 34.6 with a Season form score of 41.2. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 8 career titles — among them the Super Cup and the EAFF E-1 Football Championship. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 15 recorded seasons, H. Kawabe has totalled 371 club appearances with 43 goals and 30 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 37 appearances for Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

H. Kawabe's career has also included time at Standard Liege, Grasshoppers, Wolves and Jubilo Iwata.

On the international stage, H. Kawabe has represented Japan — 8 caps and 1 goal in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.