A player once described as ‘brilliant‘ by Ange Postecoglou could be surplus to requirements at the club if he continues to be overlooked by Brendan Rodgers.
Tomoki Iwata joined Celtic initially on-loan with an obligation to buy in the 2023 January window. The former Japan MVP is highly rated in his homeland and has been capped by The Samurai Blues four times.
He made his Celtic debut in the 5-0 win over Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup and went on to make a further 17 appearances that season with the majority of them being off the bench.
He was signed permanently this summer but has since not made a single first-team start. In fact, the 26-year-old made his first appearance for the Hoops in the 2-0 loss to Feyenoord in the Champions League.
Extremely versatile, Iwata was used in the centre-back role last season to cover for Cameron Carter-Vickers after the US international underwent surgery on his knee.
But even during Celtic’s current defensive crisis, Brendan Rodgers has, so far, resisted to use the Japanese and has opted for a central defensive partnership pairing of Gustaf Lagerbielke and the rejuvenated Liam Scales.
So where does that leave Iwata now? The additions of Hyeokkyu Kwon and Odin Thiago Holm mean that Iwata falls further down the pecking order to fourth-choice defensive midfielder.
Rodgers has utilised both his new signings at various points during preseason and in the SPFL with Iwata having to look on from the sidelines.
Unless Iwata can find a way to force himself into the Celtic manager’s plans, his future at the club looks doomed.
Which is a shame. Because what we have seen from Iwata has been good. He is calm and accomplished on the ball and hasn’t really faltered whenever he has pulled on the green and white hoops.
Maybe the moment has passed for Iwata and the looming January window could offer him a way to kickstart his career as it seems chances for him at Celtic are going to be extremely limited for the talented midfielder.
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