Leicester City attacker Shinji Okazaki has admitted that he hopes to come up against "best friend" Maya Yoshida when the Foxes play Southampton on Sunday.
The pair are teammates on the international stage with Japan, but while Okazaki says that he and the Saints defender are in regular contact, he is "motivated" to get the better of him at St Mary's.
The 30-year-old told the Leicester Mercury: "He's my best friend in the national team and I often meet him in London. He has been playing in the Premier League for four years now and I think he's a good player.
"I want to play against him and that's good motivation for me. I know how he plays in a team of 11. I watch Yoshida and every Japanese player."
Leicester will move level on points with Southampton in the Premier League table should they record victory on the south coast.
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