KAWASAKI, JAPAN - OCTOBER 13: Hayato Inamura (R) of Albirex Niigata and Danilo Gomes look on during the J.LEAGUE YBC Levain Cup Semi Final second leg between Kawasaki Frontale and Albirex Niigata at Uvance Todoroki Stadium by Fujitsu on October 13, 2024 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Japan. (Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty Images)
Celtic are reported to be working on the transfer of Hayato Inumra from Japanese side Niigata.
A year ago the left sided defender was playing for Tokyo University before a £50,000 transfer.
At the age of 23 he falls into the project signing category, likely to offer cover for Kieran Tierney at left-back with the Scotland defender returning on a five year contract.
Alex Valle from Barcelona and Jeff Schlupp from Crtstal Palace spent time on loan at Celtic last season competing for the left-back slot but in now appears that the club is moving in a different direction in what has been a problem position.
Inumra has 33 senior appearances to his name and has never been involved with the Japanese national teams at any level.
Stephen McGowan has a long track record of being incredibly accurate with news on all matters Celtic, in The Herald he writes:
Celtic are working on a surprise move for Japanese defender Hayato Inamura.
Currently playing for Albirex Niigata the 23-year-old primarily plays as a left-sided centre-back but can also provide cover at left full-back.
Signed from Tokyo University in 2021 six foot tall Inamura secured a J-League Cup runners-up medal last season, but currently finds himself locked in a relegation struggle in Niigata.
Celtic are no strangers to the Japanese market, signing the likes of Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, Tomoki Iwata and Yuki Kobayashi in the past.
Kyogo, Maeda and Hatate were very successful signings from Japan in the summer 2021 and January 2022 transfer windows, driven by Ange Postecoglou.
Yuki Ideguchi was unlucky with injury while Iwata did a reasonable back-up job before excelling at Birmingham City.
Yuki Kobatashi was the only defender signed from the J-League, after seven appearances under Ange Postecoglou he was frozen out under Brendan Rodgers, moving last summer to Portuguese Second Division side Portimonense where he made 25 appearances last season.
CLICK HERE for Inamura’s Transfermarkt profile.
