Celtic Transfer Options - J. League

This time last year, if you read an article that spoke about Celtic potentially signing a player or two from the J. League, you’d be wandering what kind of bizarre logic the author is basing his opinions on. However, since the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as Celtic manager, there has been a plethora of speculation about incomings, particularly that of players from Japanese football. The reason being is the Celtic boss’ former team is J. League side Yokohama F. Marinos. The Australian believes there is inordinate value in Asia and Postecoglou has already disposed his knowledge of the market with the signing of Kyogo Furuhashi who has been nothing short of a revelation since joining Celtic. 

The January transfer window is just around the corner and today, I’ll be looking at five players who could look to replicate the striker’s success at the club by signing from the J. League in the upcoming transfer window. Let’s begin. 

Reo Hatate 

Since I begun looking at possible players Celtic could sign from Japan, Reo Hatate has stood out. The twenty three year old currently plays for Kawasaki Frontale and has done for the majority of his career. 

One attribute that makes Hatate an extremely attractive prospect is his versatility. Throughout his career, Hatate has played an equal number of matches at left back and central midfield. In addition, the right footed player can turn out on either flank comfortably. 

Left back and midfield, two positions Hatate is more than adept in, are undoubtedly problem ones for Celtic. The Japanese could solve both of these and more than suffice for Celtic. 

Hatate has played sixty times in the J. League in the past two seasons, scoring ten goals and assisting six. He is toned tactically as well as being a fine all round player. Hatate’s capabilities in tight spaces and crossing ability particularly stand out as well. 

The somewhat utility man has experience in winning trophies and is just off the back of helping his side to a J. League triumph. At the end of the game which secured Kawasaki Frontale’s status as champions, Hatate was rather emotional. The reason for which is unclear although it certainly fuelled speculation over a move to Celtic after an initial rumour surfaced online.

This rumour seemed to then come to fruition just recently with Daily Mail journalist Stephen McGowan revealing Celtic are ‘well down the road’ with the signing of Hatate. In addition, Hatate’s contract expires at the end of January in 2022, therefore could be available on a free transfer. This is certainly one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks. 

Out of all the players I will write about today, the arrival of Hatate is the one I would desire the greatest at Celtic. 

Tatsuki Seko

Prior to the current season, midfield was one of the most assembled areas of the Celtic squad. However, in the 21/22 season, it is arguably one of the weakest. I mentioned at the beginning of the season how an injury or two could cause significant difficulty in the middle of the park. 

Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Tom Rogic seem to be Ange Postecoglou’s preferred trio in the engine room, when all three are fit at least. Nonetheless, Nir Bitton, Ismaila Soro and James McCarthy provide sufficient options. 

Soro and McCarthy though, are not the most convincing players in the midfield. Another addition to the middle of the park would not be a foolish move. This is where Tatsuki Seko comes in. 

The midfielder is another player whose current contract expires at the end of January 2022 thus making him available on a free. The Japanese is twenty three years old and captain of Yokohama FC, the cross city rivals of Ange Postecoglou’s former team, Yokohama F. Marinos. 

Seko’s side sit rock bottom of the J. League in 2021 with one game to go and are already confined to be getting relegated to the second division of football in the country. As a result of this, it is almost certain Seko will not be a Yokohama FC player come dawn of the new season in Japan. 

The twenty three year old has all the trademarks of a deep lying playmaker; his vision being on of his key attributes. This is proved with the fact Seko registered seven assists in his thirty two J. League appearances in 2021. Seko is also not afraid to track back and get involved in the dirty work, averaging 1.1 successful tackles per match in the J. League in 2021 as well as 1.5 interceptions each game in the same time frame. For comparison, the player with the most successful tackles for Celtic last season, in the league, was Ryan Christie who made 1.1 per match. 

Seko has all the trademarks of the player Celtic require. As mentioned, his leadership qualities could be invaluable. The only concern I would have about the arrival of Seko is the fact his side were relegated from the J. League in 2021 however I believe the positives certainly outweigh the negatives in this deal. 

Daizen Maeda 

One of the names you probably anticipated to see in this article was Daizen Maeda. The Japanese attacker has just enjoyed the greatest campaign of his career so far with Ange Postecoglou’s former side, Yokohama F. Marinos. 

The Marinos finished in second place in the J. League in 2021, over ten points adrift of eventual winners Kawasaki Frontale. The runners up have one of the the best attacks  in the league with one game to go, scoring seventy eighty one goals; twenty one of which were scored by Daizen Maeda. 

The twenty four year old has made a total of thirty fife appearances in the J. League in 2021 up to this point, scoring twenty two goals and assisting five. Evidently, Maeda was arguably one of the finest performers in the division in the most recent season. 

Maeda can be deployed at left wing as well as centre forward however the majority of his appearances in 2021 came at the former. 

In terms of playing style, Maeda is a hard worker who enjoys a lightning quick turn of pace. The Japanese is skilful yet powerful when he needs to be. His goals in 2021 were fairly equally split and the twenty four year old rather surprisingly scored six headers in his latest campaign. 

A deal for Celtic to sign Maeda would make extreme sense. After all, the Japanese was under the management of Ange Postecoglou for around a year and a half at Yokohama F. Marinos. Maeda is contracted at the Marinos until at least the beginning of 2024. However, he does have a market value of £990,000 according TransferMarkt.; a very reasonable price for such a player if you ask me. 

With the likes of Jota, Kyogo, Liel Abada and James Forrest all competing for a place in Celtic’s frontline, Maeda may find it strenuous to find a regular place in the team. However, when heavy fixture schedules loom, the strength and depth of Celtic’s squad is truly put to the test and the addition of one of the J. League’s foremost players can surely only be advantageous. 

Rihito Yamamoto

Nineteen year old holding midfielder Rihito Yamamoto already has a wealth of experience for his age, albeit in the J2. League. 

Yamamoto has been at Tokyo Verdy his whole career and made a total of eighty seven appearances for the capital side across the last three seasons. His side are predominantly a mid table club in the second division of football in Japan, finishing in 13th and 12th in the 2019 and 2020 seasons respectively. They currently sit 12th in the current campaign’s table with just one game to play. 

Despite not playing at the highest level, Yamamoto has still managed to stand out. The nineteen year old is a calm, composed figure on the ball. Yamamoto has a vastly superb range of passing and great reading of the game. He can also whip a mean corner into the box via his left foot. 

As mentioned, he is predominantly a holding midfielder and would in all likelihood take up the deepest role in the Celtic midfield, just in front of the back four. However, Yamamoto has been known to fill in at left back a few times in his career so this position his certainly within his repertoire. 

Standing at 5”10, Yamamoto might not be the tallest but his play style reminds me of a mixture of that of Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton’s. He is great on the half turn and as mentioned, is a collected figure at the same time. 

A deal to bring Rihito Yamamoto to Glasgow would not break the Hoops’ bank account. Similarly to Reo Hatate and Tatsuki Seko who we spoke about previously, Yamamoto’s contract expires at the end of January thus he would be able on a free or for a nominal fee. 

Signing Yamamoto would definitely be a gamble although with him being just nineteen, there is room for him to make drastic progress at Celtic under Ange Postecoglou. Put this down as a somewhat project signing. 

Ayase Ueda 

With Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis as strikers, it would appear Celtic have the number nine spot settled. That’s without mentioning Albian Ajeti as well. However, admittedly, Giakoumakis has yet to find his feet in Glasgow and Albian Ajeti is rather underwhelming at times. Therefore, another addition to the striking department would not go a missing. 

Ayase Ueda is a twenty three year old striker who plies his trade for Kashima Antlers in the J. League. In his eighty two appearances for the club, Ueda has scored thirty three goals and assisted four. 

Although these numbers don’t sound the most inspiring, Ueda has still managed to score a goal every one hundred and twenty minutes for the Antlers. 

Ueda is a typical penalty box striker. The Japanese is a great finisher and also sufficient in the air. He stands at 5”11 and would provide a different dynamic to that of Kyogo Furuhashi. 

Particularly in the last two campaigns, Ueda has begun to find form and consistency. He’s scored twenty four goals in twenty eight starts in the J. League in 2020 and 2021. 

Away from the domestic scene, Ueda has also represented his country across several levels. He was part of the Japan team who narrowly missed out on a Bronze medal in the Summer Olympics. Ueda has also made thirty one appearances for Japan at under twenty one, twenty three and senior level, scoring twelve goals. 

It is clear to see Ueda is a goal scorer wherever he goes however there is still room for development in his game. If he came to Celtic, working with fellow countryman and striker Kyogo Furuhashi would be extremely beneficial. 

I feel like I keep repeating myself by saying ‘this player’s contract expires in January of 2022 therefore is available for free’ although this is the case once again with Ueda. Celtic need a player who would bring depth yet efficiency to the frontline. Ayase Ueda would provide just this. 

Undeniably, there is utmost value to be found in the J. League. It is almost certain Celtic will bring one, if not more, players in from Japan in January. Hopefully, whoever it may be, they can replicate the success Kyogo Furuhashi has had at Celtic so far. 

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