# Motoki Nagakura

Motoki Nagakura (長倉 幹樹, Nagakura Motoki, born 7 October 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J1 League club Urawa Red Diamonds.

## Youth career

Nagakura began his career with Urawa Reds Junior Youth (under-15) after being scouted from junior high school. Despite being physically smaller than his peers, he was technically skilled and eventually earned promotion to Urawa Reds Youth (under-18). In 2017, he scored 7 goals in 18 appearances in the Prince Takamado JFA U-18 Premier League. Nagakura spent three years with Urawa Reds Youth, but was not offered promotion to the first team, so he decided to go to Juntendo University.
Nagakura spent four seasons at Juntendo University, culminating in a run in the 2021 Emperor's Cup, where he helped knock out J1 League club FC Tokyo in the second round and narrowly lose out to J2 League club Thespakusatsu Gunma in the third round.

## Club career
### Tokyo United FC

After finishing university and not receiving any offers from J.League clubs, Nagakura decided to join fifth-tier Kantō Soccer League club Tokyo United FC. As this was an amateur contract, he worked part-time in a gym alongside playing football. Nagakura impressed on the pitch, scoring 8 goals in 9 appearances. He finished as the league's joint top scorer, despite only playing for half the season.

### Thespakusatsu Gunma

In August 2022, Nagakura was offered a professional contract and transferred to J2 League club Thespakusatsu Gunma. He would be joining up with manager Tsuyoshi Otsuki, who had previously coached Nagakura at Urawa Reds Youth. On 16 August 2022, he made his professional debut in a 1–0 league defeat to Yokohama FC. He scored his first goal for the club in the following game, in a 1–0 league victory over Vegalta Sendai. He finished the 2022 season with 2 goals in 6 appearances for Thespakusatsu Gunma.
In the 2023 season, Nagakura was a key member of the team and scored 5 goals in 20 appearances in the first half of the season. At the end of July, it was announced that Nagakura would be joining J1 League club Albirex Niigata.

### Albirex Niigata

As Niigata's key player Ryotaro Ito transferred mid-season, the club was looking for forward reinforcements. Nagakura made his debut for Albirex Niigata on 12 August 2023, coming on as a substitute in a 2–2 league draw with Shonan Bellmare. He scored his first J1 League goal on the final game of the season in a 1–0 victory over Cerezo Osaka. He renewed his contract in December 2023, ahead of the 2024 season.
On 4 September 2024, Nagakura scored four goals in a 5–0 J.League Cup quarter-final victory over Machida Zelvia, completing his first career hat-trick.
Nagakura finished the season as top scorer in the 2024 J.League Cup with 6 goals in 9 games, helping Niigata finish as runners-up in the competition. He also made 30 league appearances, scoring 5 goals.

### Urawa Red Diamonds

In January 2025, it was announced that Nagakura would be transferring to Urawa Red Diamonds, the club where he played the majority of his youth football.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of end of 2024 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | Japan | Japan | League | League | Emperor's Cup | Emperor's Cup | J. League Cup | J. League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Juntendo University | 2021 | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 |
| Tokyo United FC | 2022 | KSL | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 8 |
| Thespakusatsu Gunma | 2022 | J2 League | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6 | 2 |
| Thespakusatsu Gunma | 2023 | J2 League | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 20 | 5 |
| Thespakusatsu Gunma | Total | Total | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 7 |
| Albirex Niigata | 2023 | J1 League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 10 | 1 |
| Albirex Niigata | 2024 | J1 League | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 6 | – | – | 41 | 11 |
| Albirex Niigata | Total | Total | 40 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 12 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 75 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 27 |

## Honours

Individual
* Kantō Soccer League top scorer: 2022