Kai Matsuzaki

Matsuzaki's current-season form is level with last season (Season 25→25), while his Rating held around 38. His peak season for form remains 2025/26 (Season 25).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2027/28	Shimizu S-pulse · 15th	1	0	0	6.2	38	25
2026/27	Shimizu S-pulse	11	0	1	6.34	—	—
2025/26	Shimizu S-pulse · 14th	33	4	5	6.96	38	25
2024/25	Shimizu S-pulse	25	2	0	—	—	—
2023/24	Vegalta SendaiLoan	11	0	0	—	—	—
2023/24	Urawa · 4th	3	0	0	6.23	41	0

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 3 earlier seasons in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral midfielder

K. Matsuzaki is a 28-year-old central midfielder at Shimizu S-pulse, rated 38.3 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (54.7% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 1.25 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Matsuzaki.

On the season, Matsuzaki graded 31 for current form (age-blind), on 4 goals, 5 assists and 1.251 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 25 → 25). Over the 4 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2025/26.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 38. At 28 Matsuzaki is in his prime years, and a market index of 8.4 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

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

Peak: 2025/26Trending upBreakout: 2025/26

38.3

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

30.6

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

54.7%

Minutes

rotation minutes

1.25

Def. actions / 90

light defensive volume

Output in context · Shimizu S-pulse finished 14th of 20 · a lower-table side

Apps

1.25

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

1.25 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — light defensive volume, with 7 clean sheets across 33 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (14th 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 4 goals and 5 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.43 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central midfielder.

Watch points

Game time. Only 54.7% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Defensive numbers. Modest 1.25 defensive actions per 90 for the position.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 38.3 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as light defensive volume (1.25 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %54.7%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.193

Assists / 900.241

Goal contribution / 900.433

Defensive actions / 901.251

Player flow

Goal involvements9

Cards / 900.144

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 (~14), then tapers with age. At 28, Matsuzaki sits on 8.4, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Matsuzaki's projected Rating — 38.3 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

Goals4

Passing

Assists5

Defending

Tackles17

Interceptions7

Blocks2

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

Shimizu S-pulseJan 2024 – now

Vegalta Sendai(on loan)Jul 2023 – Jan 2024

UrawaJan 2022 – Jul 2023Free

Mito Hollyhockuntil Jan 2022

About K. Matsuzaki

Kai Matsuzaki is a 28-year-old central midfielder who plays for Shimizu S-pulse, born on November 22, 1997 in Saitama, standing 172 cm tall. He is from Japan. Shimizu S-pulse currently sit 15th of 20 in the J1 League.

This season

In the current season, K. Matsuzaki has made 1 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 11 minutes.

K. Matsuzaki's next match is on August 29, 2026, when Shimizu S-pulse face Kashiwa Reysol at home in the J1 League.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates K. Matsuzaki at 38.3 with a Season form score of 30.6. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 6 career titles — among them the J2 League and the AFC Champions League Elite. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 8 recorded seasons, K. Matsuzaki has totalled 169 club appearances with 16 goals and 6 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2021/22, with 41 appearances for Mito Hollyhock.

K. Matsuzaki's career has also included time at Vegalta Sendai, Urawa and Mito Hollyhock.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.