Shion Nakayama

Shion Nakayama came through Tokyo Verdy's own academy, moving from Junior Youth into the club's U18 side. In the 2025 Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League East he finished among the division's top scorers with 14–15 goals, including a brace against Kawasaki Frontale, and a year earlier he had been named MVP as Tokyo Verdy Youth won the J.League International Youth Cup for the first time.

That form carried him into the first-team squad, and he made his J.League senior debut coming off the bench against Kawasaki Frontale, playing 26 minutes in a 1-1 draw. Since then his senior appearances have been limited: three J1 League outings for 60 minutes in total, without a goal or an assist yet, plus a start in the J.League Cup against Reilac Shiga.

Nakayama has also been capped at Japan's youth levels, appearing for the U-16 side and later the U-18s, for whom he scored against Uruguay in the UEFA Friendship Cup as Japan won 4-1. He has continued to be involved with the U-19 national team, though he has not yet been called into the senior side.