Japanese teenagers join Grenoble in France's 2D

Japan's Tsukasa Umesaki is joining French Second Division club Grenoble Foot 38 on a six-month loan deal from J-League club Oita Trinita. The 19-year-old midfielder joins fellow Japanese teenager Sho Ito who has signed a three-and-half- year deal. The Japanese influence at the cub commenced in November 2004 when the shares in the team owned by the town of Grenoble were purchased by Japanese mobile content provider Index Corp and the company's nominee, Kazutoshi Watanabee, became club chairman. The club's deficit was paid and Japanese international Oguro joined the squad for 2006.