16 Jan 2014

Ono to return to Japan

2:30 pm on 16 January 2014

The Western Sydney Wanderers have confirmed marquee player Shinji Ono will leave the A-League club at season's end to return to Japan.

The popular playmaker will remain at the Wanderers until the end of the Asian Champions League group and round-of-16 stages and A-League finals series, before linking up with second-tier Japanese outfit Consadole Sapporo in June.

The club says the 34-year-old, who moved to Australia in 2012 as their inaugural marquee player, had expressed his desire to be closer to his wife and two young children who still live in Japan.

Ono has scored nine goals in 39 appearances for the Wanderers.