MILAN – Yuto Nagatomo is held in high regard by everyone at Inter. The Japanese defender has just finished his sixth season at the club and can now look forward to a long future in Milan, having signed a contract extension until 2019 midway through the season.
"He’s a great team-mate. He always gives his all for the team and holds nothing back," was how captain Mauro Icardi described him.
"He loves the club, always works hard in training and is a wonderful professional," said coach Roberto Mancini.
"He’s really humble and professional and became part of the family right away," added club vice president Javier Zanetti.
His first start of the season came away at Palermo in Week 8, a match he followed up with a masterful performance in Inter’s 1-0 win over Roma in Week 10, during which Nagatomo kept the dangerous Mohamed Salah impressively quiet.
The Japanese’s other standout performance was in the 1-0 defeat of Chievo in Week 23, when he created a number of chances for his team-mates while helping to keep things tight at the back.
