YOSUKE IDEGUCHI will kick off Celtic’s feverish transfer activity in the January window by sealing a permanent return to the J-League.
The midfielder, whose career at the Hoops stalled through injury shortly after his arrival from Gamba Osaka in January 2022, will confirm a deal with Vissel Kobe within the next fortnight.
Ideguchi is currently on loan at Avispa Fukuoka, but is expected to join Kyogo Furuhashi’s former club in a £740,000 deal, according to a report in the Daily Record.
PARADISE FOUND…Yosuke Ideguchi leads out Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate after Celtic’s triple J-League swoop in January 2022. Now the defensive midfielder looks to be on his way back to his homeland.
PARADISE LOST…Yuki Kobayashi is poised for a loan deal in 2024.
The 27-year-old anchorman joined in a triple swoop alongside Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda and made his debut on the same January 17 evening as his countrymen when Ange Postecoglou’s side overcame Hibs 2-0 at Parkhead.
However, injury the following month in the rough-and-tumble Scottish Cup-tie at Alloa, then managed by Barry Ferguson, saw Ideguchi sidelined for a lengthy period.
Now he is prepared to kick-start his career in his homeland when he could be joined by Yuki Kobayashi who is likely to be allowed to go on a loan contract.
The 23-year-old left-sided centre-back has yet to figure since the return of Brendan Rodgers in June and the former Japanese Under-21 defender could arrange a short-term switch to get some much-needed game time.
Kobayashi signed as a free agent from Vissel Kobe in January and is under contract at the champions until June 2028.
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