Field Insider

Kakeru Funaki

Squad depthAlbirex Niigata · 28 yrsStarterOn loan from Cerezo Osaka

based on the 2025 season · updated 22 Aug 2026

Profile

Full nameKakeru Funaki
PositionCentre-back
NationalityJapan
Age28
Date of birth13 Apr 1998
BirthplaceNara
Height177 cm
Shirt number#14
ClubAlbirex Niigata
Centre-back
15
Appearances
0
Goals
0
Assists
1040
Minutes

Domestic-league season · Cerezo Osaka.

Also this season

Parent club Cerezo OsakaJ-League Cup: 2 apps, 1g 0a, 210 min

The headline Season rating covers his time at Albirex Niigata; availability counts only fixtures while in this squad.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral defender

K. Funaki is a 28-year-old central defender at Cerezo Osaka, rated 32.3 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (30.4% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.51 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Funaki.

On the season, Funaki graded 8 for current form (age-blind), on 2 clean sheets and 2.51 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 26 → 8). Over the 4 seasons on record his form has held fairly steady, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 32. At 28 Funaki is in his prime years, and a market index of 5.3 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report
Read the full career report →

Past his 2024/25 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2024/25Trending down
32.3
Ratingi
below regular-starter level
7.5
Seasoni
below regular-starter level
30.4%
Minutes
limited game time
2.51
Def. actions / 90
moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Cerezo Osaka finished 10th of 20 · a mid-table side

15
Apps
2.51
Def. / 90
8
Tackles
10
Interceptions
2
Clean sheets

2.51 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 2 clean sheets across 15 appearances.

Watch points

  • Game time. Only 30.4% 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 32.3 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.51 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). 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.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the J2 League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles8
Interceptions10
Blocks11

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1
Red cards0

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.