Ritsu Dōan: “I really feel at home here”

After SC Freiburg qualified for the Europa League, 26-year-old Japanese international winger Ritsu Doan was asked about his future amidst interest from two Champions League sides.

Ritsu Dōan spoke to the media after SC Freiburg’s 1-3 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt at Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday afternoon. The result confirmed Freiburg’s spot in the UEFA Europa League, finishing fifth in the table with a 16-7-11 record, 55 points and a -4 goal differential (49-53).

The 26-year-old winger from Hyōgo, Kansai, was asked about his future in club football, as Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund remain interested in signing him during the summer transfer window. Both Eintracht and BVB qualified for the UEFA Champions League with their victories today; it should be mentioned that Eintracht did so by denying Freiburg of one of the four spots, because of the aforementioned result.

“To be honest, I have not decided just yet,” Dōan said to Badische Zeitung following the match. “Of course, I am thinking about my future, but I have not decided anything right at this moment.”

He continued by specifying the support he has received from the fans in Freiburg, possibly hinting at the fact that he might stay with the Baden-Württemberg side. “I felt the love of the fans once again this afternoon; I have never experienced this at any of the other clubs I have been with in Europe before. Even when I am walking around the city, and meeting the fans, they are very positive towards me, they give me a lot of affection, so I really feel at home here. I have to think about everything else while on vacation.”

Dōan finished his best season in the German top flight, scoring nine and assisting seven times in 33 appearances in the German top flight in 2024 / 25. He took 59 shots in total, which amounts to just under two per match (1,92 to be exact).