Yahoo News in Japan have reported that Yosuke Ideguchi to Celtic will happen when the transfer window opens. On the same night when news broke of an impending deal between the Scottish giants and Yokohama F. Marinos for fellow countryman, Daizen Maeda, it seems some media in Japan are certain that Ideguchi will be signing for the Bhoys too.
Some commentators had previously claimed that it was hard to see Celtic luring three Japanese players to Scotland in the form of Maeda, Ideguchi, and Reo Hatate. Those have conflicted with various media sources in Japan who have Ideguchi to Celtic as a nailed on deal.
The report states that Ideguchi’s replacement has been sourced from Rubin Kazan in Russia, where he is currently on-loan from Shonan Bellmare. 22-year-old midfielder, Mitsuki Saito, will join Gamba Osaka on a short-term deal, similar to the one that will take Maeda to Celtic once the beginning of January is upon us.
It is likely that this will be Osaka making preparations for the eventual departure of their midfielder to Celtic in a smart strategic move. The short-term nature of the deal also resembling that of the Maeda deal suggests that there is weight behind this story.
Dan Orlowitz, the Japanese-based journalist that has kept all the Celtic fanbase updated on these deals, has made the contention that Gamba Osaka are covering all bases with the move for Saito. It all points to the Ideguchi rumour to Celtic having strong truth about it as we look to strengthen the squad.
A combative midfielder, Ideguchi could just be the tough-tackling central player we need to clean-up loose balls in the middle of the park and do the dirty work. A player such as this would certainly allow Callum McGregor to get more involved further forward in the field, where he can be most effective in unlocking those packed defences we have come up against all season.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/13ba3f58f091a52f95956622ffc166a27487f8f2
Separating this from Maeda thread:
Hochi reporting that Gamba Osaka aiming to sign Shonan Bellmare MF Mitsuki Saito (currently on loan to Rubin Kazan), describing him as a replacement for “Celtic-bound Yosuke Ideguchi.”
Strong language but early yet.https://t.co/w2IGVhAyYX
— x Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo) December 29, 2021
Paul Gillespie
