Yukinari Sugawara

Key strength: Pace and recovery

Overlapping full-back

In the pressure cooker of a relegation battle, Japanese right-back Yukinari Sugawara has emerged as an unlikely creative spark for SV Werder Bremen. Perched precariously in 16th place with a DWLLW form line that oscillates between hope and despair, Ole Werner's side are desperately seeking stability—and Sugawara might just provide it. The 24-year-old's numbers leap off the page: two assists in a single 90-minute appearance, a remarkable output rate that hints at the attacking threat he brings from full-back. Valued at €12 million, the overlapping defender combines 65 defending with blistering pace and recovery speed, offering Werder something entirely different from traditional defensive options. His two assists already place him among the team's creative contributors despite minimal minutes, while teammates like Cameron Puertas and Justin Njinmah look to feed off his width and dynamism. As Werder fight for survival, Sugawara's unique profile—an attacking full-back in a defensive crisis—could prove decisive in the weeks ahead.