Yahoo Japan claim Celtic have agreed a fee with Japanese side Gamba Osaka to sign midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi – with the player set to travel to Glasgow to undergo a medical before the end of the month.
Ideguchi, 25, has endured a stop-start career. In January 2018, he joined Premier League side Leeds United – while the Whites were in the Championship. That is, after clocking up more than 100 appearances for Osaka.
But while at Leeds, he failed to make a single senior appearance. The 15-time Japan international spent time on loan at Cultural Leonesa in Spain, and then Greuther Furth in German football.
After 18 months on the books at Leeds, he returned to Osaka. He has since played 69 times in two seasons, breaking back into his national squad – and clearly, catching the eye of Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.
Ideguchi to Celtic: J-League overkill, or Postecoglou masterclass?
Kyogo Furuhashi was a sensational signing last summer. Bought for the best part of £5million, he has since clocked up 14 goals in Celtic colours. That has seemingly tempted Postecoglou into re-entering the market.
Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Ideguchi are now all reportedly on the verge of joining Celtic. Is it too much from Japanese football? Or is it simply that the more, the better. It would certainly help Kyogo.
Celtic do need depth in the middle of the park and Ideguchi, at less than £1million, is probably worth the risk.
