Celtic hold talks to arrange their first ever Tour of Japan

Celtic have held talks over a pre-season trip to Japan next summer. 

With four players signed from the J-League as well as manager Ange Postecoglou arriving from Yokohama Marinos the hoops would guarantee plenty of media attention for a ‘homecoming tour’. 

Playing Yokohama Marinos would seem a certainty with Daizen Maeda waving farewell to his old club last month after upgrading his Celtic loan to a permanent move. 

This season Celtic are based in Austria for three pre-season matches then take on Legia Warsaw either side of home matches against Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City. 

With the J-League playing all through the summer Postecoglou’s side would be assured of very competitive matches while the club’s commercial team get to work with local fans and perhaps fresh sponsors. 

Japanese site Sponichi reports: 

By the 11th, it was revealed that the prestigious Celtic of the first division of Scotland, to which four Japanese players belong, is planning a Japan tour next summer. The club’s marketing staff has already visited Japan several times, according to people familiar with the matter. Negotiations are underway under the hood, and it is said that they are coordinating to have a friendly match with the J club for about two games. 

Celtic is a prestigious player with a brilliant history, including 52 league championships. Former Japan national team MF Shunsuke Nakamura (currently J2 Yokohama FC), who belonged to 2005-09, has been active in the history of the club and is known as a club closely related to Japan. Japan national team FW Furuhashi, who joined last season, mass-produced goals and created a whirlwind, and in January this year, FW Maeda, midfielder flagman, and midfielder Ideguchi joined at the same time. He played an active part in achieving the double crown of the league and the league cup.

Postecoglou, who leads the team, is also known in Japan, having won the league title in 19 when he led Yokohama. His first year in office has produced results, and his reputation in Europe is skyrocketing. Celtic also came to Japan in August 2006, to which Nakamura belonged, and has a goodwill match with Yokohama. According to the people concerned, the possibility of realization is high this time as well, and Maeda and Yokohama, which is also the commander’s old nest, are listed as promising candidates for the opponent. 

With no international competitions next summer Celtic should be able to take their full squad to Japan, in November Celtic will play two matches in Australia. 

Many EPL clubs play matches in Asia as part of their pre-season build up with Liverpool playing Manchester United today in Thailand.