Inter’s Japanese full-back Yuto Nagatomo, is in the list of nominees for the Titan Sports award for best player in Asia for 2017. The award is considered to be the Asian equivalent of the Golden Ball and is not only restricted to players of Asian descent. Although it might surprise many Inter and Serie A fans, Nagatomo is one of the potential favorites to win the award, even though there is strong competition coming from the other nominees. The names on the list include many local players based in Asia, Asian players playing in Europe, but also includes many non-asian players plying their trade in Asia, such as the likes of Paulinho , who plays for Barcelona but was an important player for Guangzhou Evergrande in 2016/17. Totteham Hotspur’s Korean attacker Heung-Min Son is also on the list and is a hot favourite to win the award, thanks to impressive performances with his young team-mates. Maya Yoshida of Southampton and Nagatomo’s fellow countryman is also on the list.