Soccer: Sanfrecce's Kawabe to join Swiss side Grasshopper Club

Japan midfielder Hayao Kawabe is joining Swiss side Grasshopper Club Zurich on a full transfer pending a successful medical, his J-League first-division club Sanfrecce Hiroshima said Thursday. The 25-year-old Sanfrecce youth product made his J1 debut in 2013 and had a three-year loan spell at Jubilo Iwata before rejoining his hometown club in 2018. He has 15 goals in 182 J1 games to date. Kawabe, whose final game for Hiroshima will be on Saturday at home to Sagan Tosu, made his national team debut this year with one goal in four games. "It wasn't easy to leave the club at this moment, but I de...