Background Check: Tadanari Lee

Championship leaders Southampton have today received clearance to sign Japanese international Tadanari Lee from J-League side Sanfreece Hiroshima.

Saints announced that they were in talks with Lee whilst he trained with the South Coast club on the 4th January and, after failing in their initial attempts at obtaining a work permit for Lee, were successful on appeal after the FA decided that Lee was "an exceptional talent that would enhance the game in this country". Lee, capped nine times for his country, was initially refused a work permit due to his limited number of appearances for Japan.

Manager Nigel Adkins has made no secret of his desire to strengthen a Southampton side that sit top of the Championship on goal difference and he will be delighted to move a step closer to finalising a deal for one of Japanese football's most dangerous forwards. The 6ft, left-footed striker, nicknamed Chunson, finished joint third top-scorer in the Japanese top flight last season with 15 goals in 32 games and was Hiroshima's top-scorer in all competitions as Sanfreece finished 7th in the table.

Lee made his full debut for Japan in last January's Asia Cup tournament where he scored a most memorable first goal for his country as a substitute in the final against Australia. Brought on as a 98th minute sub in extra-time, Lee scored the only goal of the game to give Japan a 1-0 victory in Qatar thanks to his sublime 109th minute strike. Showing immense technical ability, Lee watched the ball on to his left-foot before volleying it back across goal into the far corner. This spectacular and most dramatic of finishes brought Lee's tremendous potential to the world's attention and Southampton have moved quickly to snap up a player that has moved from strength to strength following that tournament.

Lee will now fly back to England in the next few days to finalise a deal that will ensure that he becomes the first Japanese player to represent Southampton in their 126 year history. Known for his cultured left-foot and ability to score both the special and the mundane, Lee should prove a perfect foil for Championship top scorer Rickie Lambert as the Saints aim for the back to back promotion that will ensure their return to England's top-flight for the first time since their relegation in 2005.