Manabu Saitō

Following his move to Azul Claro Numazu, Saitō's current-season form is down 90% on last season (Season 10→1), while his Rating eased 16→5. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 10).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Azul Claro Numazu · 20th	17	0	0	6.52	5	1
2024/25	Azul Claro Numazu	34	2	0	—	—	—
2023/24	Vegalta Sendai	12	0	0	—	—	—
2022/23	Newcastle Jets	8	1	1	6.64	—	—
2022/23	Suwon Bluewings · 3rd	18	1	3	6.69	16	10
2022/23	Nagoya Grampus · 8th	3	0	0	6.45	13	0
2021/22	Nagoya Grampus · 5th	24	0	1	6.55	20	4

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 12 earlier seasons in the full career.

Japan · international

Side	Apps	G
Japan	6	1
Japan U23	5	0
Japan U20	3	1

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

Scout report

Experienced headCentral midfielder

M. Saitō is a 36-year-old central midfielder at Azul Claro Numazu, rated 4.6 overall by Field Insider's model. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member this season (13.2% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 1.13 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Saitō.

On the season, Saitō graded 1 for current form (age-blind), on 0 goals, 0 assists and 1.134 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 10 → 1). Over the 4 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 5. At 36 Saitō is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 0.1 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2020/21Holding levelRemarkably consistent4 clubs

4.6

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

1.4

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

13.2%

Minutes

limited game time

1.13

Def. actions / 90

light defensive volume

Output in context · Azul Claro Numazu finished 20th of 20 · a relegation-threatened side

Apps

1.13

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

1.13 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — light defensive volume, with 1 clean sheet across 17 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.

Watch points

Game time. Only 13.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 36, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 4.6 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as light defensive volume (1.13 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).

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

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %13.2%

Available fixtures40 of 40

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 901.134

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Cards / 900

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 21–27 (~0), then tapers with age. At 36, Saitō sits on 0.1, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Saitō's projected Rating — 4.6 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 J3 League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles1

Interceptions4

Blocks1

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards0

Red cards0

Transfer history

Azul Claro NumazuFeb 2024 – nowFree

Vegalta SendaiAug 2023 – Feb 2024

Newcastle JetsJan 2023 – Aug 2023

SSuwon BluewingsJun 2022 – Jan 2023

Nagoya GrampusJan 2021 – Jun 2022Free

Kawasaki FrontaleJan 2018 – Jan 2021

Ehime FC(on loan)Jan 2011 – Jan 2018

Yokohama F. Marinosuntil Jan 2011

About M. Saitō

Manabu Saitō is a 36-year-old central midfielder who plays for Azul Claro Numazu, born on April 4, 1990 in Kanagawa, standing 169 cm tall. He is from Japan. Azul Claro Numazu currently sit 20th of 20 in the J3 League.

This season

In the current season, M. Saitō has made 17 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 476 minutes.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Saitō at 4.6 with a Season form score of 1.4. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 7 career titles — among them the J-League Cup and the J1 League. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 17 recorded seasons, M. Saitō has totalled 403 club appearances with 55 goals and 17 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2011/12, with 36 appearances for Ehime FC.

M. Saitō's career has also included time at Vegalta Sendai, Newcastle Jets, SSuwon Bluewings, Nagoya Grampus, Kawasaki Frontale, Ehime FC and Yokohama F. Marinos.

On the international stage, M. Saitō has represented Japan, Japan U23, Japan U20 — 14 caps and 2 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Azul Claro Numazu finished 20th of 20 · a relegation-threatened side

Watch points