Tomoki Iwata, born on 7th April 1997 (now aged 28) in Japan, currently plies his trade as a central defensive midfielder for Birmingham City. Standing 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall and weighing a solid 12 stone 1 lb (77 kg), Iwata is a commanding presence in the middle of the pitch. With his number 24 jersey, he's established a significant role within the Blues' squad.
According to Transfermarkt, his current market value hovers around £1.5m. Iwata's contract with Birmingham City is set to continue until the 30th June 2027, with just over 2 years remaining at the time of writing.
Iwata's professional career began in earnest in January 2015 when he joined Oita Trinita in the J2 League in Japan. In his debut season of 2017, Iwata made nine first-team appearances. His stock at the club rose over time, making 27 and 30 appearances in the 2019 and 2020 seasons respectively, further enhancing his reputation with a modest goal return from his midfield berth.
A move within the Land of the Rising Sun materialised in January 2021, when Iwata transferred from Oita Trinita to J1 League side, Yokohama F. Marinos, for an undisclosed fee. During the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Iwata proved himself a consistent performer, amassing a total of 66 appearances and scoring two goals.
In January 2023, Iwata's performances caught the eye of Celtic's scouts, and an initial loan move to Scotland was arranged, followed by a permanent transfer in July the same year. Iwata's pace, power, and precision were all key attributes that saw him make 32 first-team league appearances over two seasons at Paradise, even chipping in with a goal to the delight of the Celtic faithful.
It was in August 2024 that Iwata's journey took him from Scotland's Premiership to the heart of England's League One, securing a move to Birmingham City for a fee of roughly £830k. In the current 2024 - 2025 season at Birmingham, he's been a consistent performer with 40 first team league appearances and 6 goals so far. Additionally, he's made notable contributions in the FA Cup and the EFL Trophy, scoring a goal in each tournament.
