Spanish radio station Cadena SER have reported Akihiro Ienaga may be loaned out by La Liga club Mallorca to K-League outfit Ulsan Hyundai on the final day of the January transfer window.
Despite scoring two goals in 14 appearances in his debut season for the Spanish club, Ienaga has been frozen out by current manager Joaquín Caparrós, following Michael Laudrup’s resignation in September.
Ulsan Hyundai manager Kim Ho-Gon has already expressed his desire to sign a Japanese player, but told Korean reporters Ienaga is only one of the possibilities.
“I mentioned I wanted to buy a Japanese midfielder. And after that some people recommended me some players. Ienaga is only one of them. But nothing has been decided yet," Kim said.
It has also been speculated the former Cerezo Osaka winger has failed to adjust to his new life on the Spanish island, including difficulties grasping the native language.
Earlier this month Ienaga was rumoured to be in negotiations with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen and Hadjuk Split of Croatia, however the deal with the latter collapsed due to the club’s financial difficulties.
Ienaga joined Mallorca from J-League outfit Cerezo Osaka on a five-year deal in December 2010. He became the second Japanese player to ply his trade at the Spanish club, following Yoshito Okubo’s loan spell in 2005-06.
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