St Mirren are considering a move for Celtic’s Yuki Kobayashi. The 24-year-old has been out of the first team picture since the beginning of last season and the club appear to be proactive in finding him a new club.
Now, Sky Sports are reporting that the Paisley club are interested in the player. Stephen Robinson’s side have European ambitions and are reportedly keen on bringing in in the Japanese defender.
Kobayashi, who hasn’t featured in a Matchday squad since the win over Rangers at Ibrox in September 2023, is still training around the first team. The player is below Gustaf Lagerbielke, who appears to be himself surplus to requirements under Brendan Rodgers, and below Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki, who have deputised for Liam Scales and Cameron Carter-Vickers this season.
After arriving from Vissel Kobe, Kobayashi made just seven appearances and appeared increasingly uneasy with the pace and physical nature of Scottish football. It was telling that Ange decided to go with Tomoki Iwata over Kobayashi in the Scottish Cup Final after a poor showing at Ibrox by Kobayashi.
In fairness to Yuki, I thought you could see an improvement within his game during the preseason imo?
Still was always highly unlikely that he could break into our squad?
For this season or even beyond.
Rodgers even gave Yuki an opportunity at LB also, to see if he was a possible solution in the position also?
Unfortunately for Yuki, he’s another player who won’t fit into our squad by the looks of things?
Didn’t cost ourselves anything, so can understand taking the chance upon him in the first instance, especially as Ange didn’t seem to rate scales whatsoever?
St mirren is possibly the level Yuki is at currently, and Rodgers is looking for higher calibre of players than that now?
Hopefully for Yuki a deal can be sorted out for him all the same imo?