Celtic look to have completed their third signing of the summer transfer window with the news, as we reported last night on The Celtic Star – ‘Major Fabrizio Romano update in Celtic pursuit of Nygren’ – that Benjamin Nygren has finalised his move to Celtic from Danish club Nordsjælland for €1.5m transfer fee.
With confirmation from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano the transfer window equivalent of white smoke emanating from Celtic Park, we can pretty much call that one both a done deal and a great bit of business from Celtic.
🚨⚪️🟢 Benjamin Nygren to Celtic, here we go! Deal done with Nordsjælland for €1.5m transfer fee.
Contract until June 2029 plus option until 2030. pic.twitter.com/eIn52Guodj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 21, 2025
Now hot on the heels of Nygren signing on to bolster Celtic’s attacking options, the Hoops have been linked with J-League striker Shin Yamada.
Shin Yamada plays for Reo Hatate’s former club Kawasaki Frontale
Shin Yamada currently plays for Reo Hatate’s former club Kawasaki Frontale and last season finished as the 3rd highest scorer in the J-League, scoring 18 goals.
This season however has been a bit more underwhelming on the goals front with six goals in 31 appearances. He has been called up to the Japanese Under 23 squad but has yet to make an appearance at national team level.
The striker’s contract expires in January 2027, and it is believed Celtic could secure his services for as little as £1.5m.
Whilst Yamada’s 2024 season caught the eye, there will of course be some reservations that such a season was a flash in the pan, as this season the goals have dried up to an extent. However, with his club playing across three competitions including the Asian Champions League, there may be a level of mitigation offered to the striker.
Yamada is no stranger to silverware either
Shin Yamada is no stranger to silverware either, with the striker having already lifted the Emperor’s Cup and the Japanese Super Cup, and his stats also make for impressive reading.
Yamada was first for non-penalty goals plus assists at 0.89 per 90minutes in 2024, and top for goals and assists per 90 at 0.98 last season and third in the J-League for shots on target per 90 minutes at 1.66.
Overall, the striker has grabbed 25 goals in 83 J-League appearances and nine goals in 11 appearances in The Emperors Cup, meanwhile at Champions League level the 25-year-old striker scored two goals in 12 appearances.
You can certainly understand why Celtic would be interested in Yamada, particularly based on what appeared to be his break-out season, however there will be some nagging doubts that season was perhaps an outlier, given his goalscoring form both prior to 2024 and this season.
He looks the ideal striker to play against low block defences
That said Yamada looks like a powerful runner, a good finisher from close range and he shields the ball and progresses the ball well from deep positions. In fact, he looks the ideal striker to play against low block defences, something Celtic are very much crying out for.
Whether Celtic press the button on this transfer window remains to be seen as his club side are very much in the middle of their season right now, so it may well be one to keep an eye on for the January transfer window where a transfer may be more possible and the player will have just one year left on his contract.
Niall J
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Sign him up!