Borussia Mönchengladbach Targeting Daiki Hashioka After Injury Setback

Borussia Mönchengladbach are moving quickly to plug a hole they never expected to open this early in pre-season.

With Yukhym Konoplya sidelined by a knee injury, the club are closing in on Japanese international Daiki Hashioka, turning a setback on the training pitch into another sharp, targeted move in the market.

Hashioka deal close as Gladbach react to Konoplya blow

According to Sky Germany, as reported by transfermarkt.de, Gladbach have reached an agreement with Slavia Prague for a loan deal that includes an option to buy the 27-year-old. Hashioka is due to undergo his medical on Thursday, the final hurdle before the Foals add yet another new face to an already busy summer.

If everything goes through as expected, Hashioka will become Gladbach’s eighth signing of the window and the second Japanese player to arrive, following defensive midfielder Zento Uno. It is a clear pattern: younger, hungry, versatile players, signed for defined roles but able to cover more than one position.

Hashioka fits that profile neatly. A right-back by trade, he can also slot into central defence or operate higher up on the right flank. Last season he spent his time on loan at KAA Gent, making 17 appearances and showing enough to convince Gladbach that he can handle the step into the Bundesliga.

That flexibility suddenly matters a lot more after Konoplya’s setback.

Konoplya out for two months

Konoplya, himself a summer arrival and expected to be a key figure on the right side of defence, suffered a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during Gladbach’s 2-1 friendly win over Rot-Weiss Essen. The Ukrainian international is projected to be out for around two months and will miss all team sessions during the club’s Tegernsee training camp.

For a new coach and a reshaped squad, losing a starting full-back before the serious work of pre-season really begins is a jolt. The response has been immediate: secure cover, keep tactical options open, avoid being forced into a reshuffle that disturbs the rest of the back line.

Hashioka, if the deal is completed, gives Eugen Polanski exactly that. A right-sided defender who can shift inside or push on, he offers the kind of plug-and-play solution that can steady a pre-season plan knocked off course.

Uno’s first steps in Gladbach colours

While one Japanese international edges closer to the door, another has already stepped onto the training pitch.

Zento Uno took part in his first team session on Tuesday. The 22-year-old was eased in, involved mainly in drills with limited physical contact as the coaching staff manage his workload ahead of the more intense days to come. The idea is simple: no rush, no risks, but steady integration so that by the time the squad heads to Tegernsee, Uno can train fully.

Communication is being treated as seriously as conditioning. Gladbach have assigned interpreter Atsushi Waki to work with Uno during tactical meetings and training. It is a deliberate move to remove any ambiguity as Polanski lays down his ideas.

“With a translator, we can ensure that our messages come across exactly as we intend them to,” the head coach explained. “We’re using this week to ease him into the workload so that, ideally, he’ll be able to participate fully at training camp.”

The club are not just signing players; they are building an environment to get the maximum out of them from day one.

Pre-season ramps up and squad still in motion

On the pitch, the schedule is about to tighten. Gladbach face Hansa Rostock before heading to Rottach-Egern, where friendlies against local side FC Rottach-Egern and Bundesliga rivals Hoffenheim await. Those games will offer the first real clues about how Polanski wants this new-look team to function – and, if the Hashioka deal is wrapped up in time, where the Japanese defender might slot in once Konoplya returns.

Off the pitch, the squad remains fluid. The Foals have spent around €12.5 million on new arrivals while bringing in roughly €21 million from sales, a net positive that gives them room to manoeuvre if the right opportunities appear. At the same time, the door is not shut on further departures.

• Nathan Ngoumou
• Tomas Cvancara
• Florian Neuhaus

are all mentioned as possible exits. Each name carries its own tactical and emotional weight, and any move would reshape the internal hierarchy in Polanski’s dressing room.

For now, though, the immediate story is clear: an injury, a rapid reaction, and a Japanese thread running through Gladbach’s rebuild. If Hashioka’s medical goes to plan and Uno’s integration continues smoothly, the club’s summer strategy will look less like a scramble and more like a calculated shift towards a new core.

The question is no longer whether Gladbach are changing, but how quickly this new spine can carry them back towards the top half of the Bundesliga.