As we brought to you earlier today on the Celtic Star, Celtic are certainly scouting in the Japanese market this summer, with the Hoops linked with Kawasaki Frontale striker Shin Yamada.
Meanwhile earlier in the week we also reported on Celtic’s interest in left sided defender Hayato Inamura.
The Albirex Niigata defender has been in action in Japan this weekend and he’s also grabbed a goal, a nicely executed left foot finish high into the net as his club side defeated Avispa Fukuoka 3-2. Have a look for yourselves with the video clip below.
Hayato Inamura scored for Albirex Niigata a moment ago. pic.twitter.com/W8FrmDvJkg
— Yuri (@yurixlax) June 21, 2025
Celtic have started off the summer transfer window, with two previous players returning to Celtic, with Ross Doohan returning to the Hoops after a successful season with Aberdeen, meanwhile Kieran Tierney’s return to Celtic may have been the worst kept secret in football but is nonetheless a superb bit of business for the club.
It also now appears 23-year-old Swedish international attacker Benjamin Nygren is also on his way to join the Scottish Champions in time for pre-season training, as it seems Celtic may be learning lessons from last season’s transfer window and getting their business started early this season.
If Hayato Inamura is to join Celtic, it is being mooted the player will possibly vie for his place in the team with Kieran Tierney, as he has been described as a left sided central defender who is also capable of playing at left-back.
Although as Johnno, one of our contributors to the comments section on The Celtic Star posited this week, perhaps Celtic may be looking to experiment with a formation change this season, with three at the back being a possible change given the profile of players we have been linked with over the last few weeks.
That would certainly be an interesting tactical development and was one Brendan Rodgers experimented with in his time at Leicester City.
It will be interesting to see how this one develops. Inamura certainly looks like a good footballing centre half, from his online clip, but it’s impossible to judge his physicality in the challenge or his overall defensive profile from such a small sample size.
If he is indeed at the medical stage, as was reported earlier in the week, then assuming there’s no mishaps there, Hayato Inamura could be a Celtic player imminently.
Having a goal or two in his locker would certainly endear him to the Celtic support.
Niall J
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