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Kazuyoshi Miura, set to turn 59 next month and is recognized globally as football's most senior pro, has finalized a loan deal until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.

The transfer means Miura could play in the J.League - the top three divisions of football in Japan - for the first time in half a decade.

The former Japan striker, who began his professional journey with Brazilian side Santos in 1986, failed to score in 69 minutes across seven outings last season while on loan at fourth-tier club Atletico Suzuka.

"My passion for football hasn't changed, no matter how old I get," he said as he gears up for a forty-first campaign as a professional footballer.

"I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity. I vow I will play with everything I have to help the team. Let's make history together!"

Referred to as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth loan since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC.

Miura, who has also played club football in Italy, Croatia and Australia, signed for the club in 2005 but has not played a minute for them since 2020.

He scored 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that concluded in 2000, two years after his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.

Miura, who has talked of playing until he is 60, said he was ready to "take on a new challenge" after being demoted last season to the country's lower regional divisions.

Fukushima finished 10th in the twenty-club J3 League last season.