Aston Villa has officially signed Akane Okuma, a talented goalkeeper from Japan, pending visa approval. The 21-year-old joins the Women's Super League side after a successful stint at INAC Kobe Leonessa, where she played since 2024.

Okuma's career began at JEF United Chiba, and she has represented Japan at various youth levels. Notably, she was part of the senior squad that clinched the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, sharing the field with her new teammate, Maya Hijikata.

Marisa Ewers, the director of women's football at Aston Villa, expressed enthusiasm about the signing:

Akane is an exciting young talent with a lot of potential and we're delighted to welcome her to Aston Villa. As a club, we're always looking at opportunities to identify talent in different markets around the world, and we're pleased to bring a player of Akane's profile to Villa.

In her own words, Okuma shared her excitement about joining the club:

I'm very happy to be here. I feel really fortunate to be a part of this club, and I can't wait to play with the team.

Last season, Aston Villa finished ninth in the 12-team WSL. The upcoming 2026-27 fixtures are set to be released on 30 July, with the league expanding to 14 teams.