Ko Itakura was presented at FC Groningen at the beginning of 2019. The young Japanese started his first adventure in Europe and that was not easy in the early months. The defender only spoke Japanese and could not communicate with his teammates or surroundings. From its start in the Netherlands, Itakura was offered English lessons by the club, taught by Ingeborg van Veldhuizen. Itakura built up a special bond with his teacher, as a result of which the entire Van Veldhuizen family grew into the Dutch family of Ko Itakura.
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