Naoki Maeda

Maeda's current-season form is level with last season (Season 8→8), while his Rating held around 21. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 30).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2027/28	Sanfrecce Hiroshima · 4th	1	0	0	6.3	21	8
2026/27	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	13	0	0	6.59	—	—
2025/26	Sanfrecce Hiroshima · 4th	30	1	1	6.67	21	8
2025/26	Urawa	3	0	0	6.6	—	—
2024/25	Urawa · 13th	24	2	2	7.01	31	13
2023/24	Nagoya Grampus · 3rd	11	0	0	6.28	30	0
2023/24	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	12	0	0	6.28	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 11 earlier seasons in the full career.

Japan · international

Side	Apps	G
Japan U23	4	0

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

Scout report

Experienced headWinger

N. Maeda is a 31-year-old winger at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, rated 21.3 overall by Field Insider's model. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member this season (31.2% of available minutes). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Maeda.

On the season, Maeda graded 8 for current form (age-blind), on 1 goal and 1 assist in 30 appearances (0.169 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 8 → 8). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 21. At 31 Maeda is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 2.6 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 level4 clubs

21.3

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

7.6

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

31.2%

Minutes

limited game time

0.17

Goal contrib / 90

low end product

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

Apps

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.03

Goals / app

1 goal in 30 appearances (0.03 per game) — light end product the role wants to see climb. Add 1 assist for 2 goal contributions in all.

Watch points

Game time. Only 31.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Output. 0.17 contributions per 90 is light for an attacking role — end product needs to climb.
Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 21.3 overall — below regular-starter level. In the final third he profiles as a work-in-progress on end product (0.17 goal contributions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).

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

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %31.2%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.084

Assists / 900.084

Goal contribution / 900.169

Defensive actions / 900.506

Player flow

Goal involvements2

Cards / 900.169

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 (~6), then tapers with age. At 31, Maeda sits on 2.6, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Maeda's projected Rating — 21.3 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 wingers in the J1 League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1—

Passing

Assists1—

Defending

Tackles6—

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

Sanfrecce HiroshimaMar 2025 – now

UrawaJan 2024 – Mar 2025

Nagoya Grampus(back from loan)Jul 2023 – Jan 2024

Utrecht(on loan)Jan 2022 – Jul 2023

Nagoya GrampusJul 2018 – Jan 2022

Matsumoto YamagaJan 2018 – Jul 2018

Yokohama F. MarinosJan 2016 – Jan 2018

Tokyo Verdy(back from loan)Dec 2015 – Jan 2016

Matsumoto Yamaga(on loan)Jan 2015 – Dec 2015

Tokyo Verdyuntil Jan 2015

About N. Maeda

Naoki Maeda is a 31-year-old winger who plays for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, born on November 17, 1994 in Saitama, standing 177 cm tall. He is from Japan. Sanfrecce Hiroshima currently sit 4th of 20 in the J1 League.

This season

In the current season, N. Maeda has made 1 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 45 minutes.

N. Maeda'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 N. Maeda at 21.3 with a Season form score of 7.6. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the J-League Cup. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 16 recorded seasons, N. Maeda has totalled 360 club appearances with 45 goals and 18 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2021/22, with 34 appearances for Nagoya Grampus.

N. Maeda's career has also included time at Urawa, Nagoya Grampus, Utrecht, Matsumoto Yamaga, Yokohama F. Marinos and Tokyo Verdy.

On the international stage, N. Maeda has represented Japan U23 — 4 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.