Football: Takashi Usami heads home after unsuccessful stint in Germany

Japanese midfielder Takashi Usami is heading back to J-League side Gamba Osaka after two unsuccessful seasons on loan with Bayern Munich, then Hoffenheim, in Germany's Bundesliga, it was announced on Friday.

The 21-year-old will return to Japan and, after a holiday, will train on June 18 with Osaka, who are now in the second tier of the J-League after being relegated, the club reported on their website.

Usami was released by Hoffenheim, who only avoided relegation by winning a two-legged play-off against Kaiserslautern, after being told he did not feature in coach Markus Gisdol's plans, after making just six appearances over 90 minutes all season.

The attacking midfielder joined Bayern in July 2011 as a teenager, but made just three Bundesliga appearances for the Bavarians, scoring a single goal in a German Cup match.

Having switched to Hoffenheim at the start of the season, his last Bundesliga appearance was in mid-March and he is now looking to rebuild his promising career having been voted the J-League's Best Young Player in 2010.

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